The Ministry of Health will impose, starting Wednesday, January 10, the mandatory use of a mask inside any hospital or health center in Spain. as reported The country.
The measure arises after a large part of the communities refused to comply with the recommendation of the use of masks by the aforementioned organization. Mónica García, Minister of Health, intended to promote this measure to stop the spread of respiratory diseases. At this time, Spain has reached a peak of infections caused by COVID and flu.
Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Aragon, Murcia, the Canary Islands and Asturias not only accepted, but also imposed the mandatory use of a mask. However, the rest did not follow the same path.
“The measure is taken given the growth of acute respiratory infections throughout Spain and to try to stop the chain of infections, in addition to protecting health professionals and people who go to hospitals and health centers in the archipelago to prevent them from contracting any respiratory infection,” commented the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands.
Communities intended to decide on their own the mandatory use of masks
On Monday, January 8, the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System met in order to find solutions to the increase in infections. The main proposal on the table was, of course, mandating the use of masks in health centers.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of regions did not see it favorably. They considered that each community should have the freedom to choose whether the use of a mask should be – or not – mandatory depending on their health conditions. They preferred to promote an awareness strategy to know in which cases it is advisable to wear a mask. Thus, the only independent community that decided to support García’s idea was Catalonia.
Given the refusal of the communities, and with the urgency to quickly address the notable increase in infections, The Ministry of Health had no other option more than mandating the use of masks in health centers.
To do this, they relied on the article 65 of the law of cohesion and quality of the National Health System, which allows for the ordering of coordinated actions for the benefit of public health.