Government and Autonomous Communities have agreed in the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System to expand the use of masks. According to the Ministry of Health, masks will be mandatory in public transport, closed spaces and on public roads in the event that the two meters distance cannot be guaranteed.
There are no more nuances or descriptions of specific cases. From the Government, they affirm that everything will be detailed in an Order that will be published in “the next few days”, without an exact date. This has created some confusion, so below we will review everything we know about the mandatory use of masks.
Wearing face masks now
First, we will review what we know firmly, which is related to public and private transport and small businesses. We will also review the measures announced yesterday by Health and the points that will have to be qualified. Regarding transportation, we have to refer to Order TMA / 400/2020, of May 9, which in its first provision modifies Order TMA / 384/2020, of May 3:
- Motorcycles, mopeds and category L vehicles in general with two homologated seats: two people can travel as long as they wear a full-face helmet with a visor, wear a mask or reside at the same address.
- Private vehicles of up to nine seats (all occupants reside at the same address): all seats can be occupied and the use of masks is not mandatory.
- Private vehicles of up to nine seats (the occupants reside in different addresses): two people per row can travel, including that of the driver. The use of masks is mandatory and the maximum possible distance must be respected.
- Public transport in vehicles with up to nine seats: two people per row can travel without including the driver’s. The use of masks is mandatory and the maximum possible distance between occupants must be ensured. In the event that all users live at the same address, three people may go in each row of seats compared to that of the driver.
- Vehicles with a single row of seats: maximum of two people, provided they wear face masks and keep the maximum possible distance.
- Bus and trains (all passengers seated): the operator must limit the total occupation of the seats so that there is always an adjoining empty seat that separates the passengers unless the passengers live in the same address. The previous row of the conductor must be empty. The use of masks is mandatory.
- Bus and trains (seated and standing passengers): it will be ensured that people maintain the maximum distance from each other. Only half of the seats can be occupied and there can only be two travelers for each square meter in the standing area. The use of masks is mandatory.
- Passengers on ships and boats: compulsory use of masks except when they are inside the cabin.
As for small shops and public spaces, such as the street, the use of a mask, until now, is ” convenient and highly recommended when social distancing cannot be guaranteed,” according to Health. There is no mandatory use of masks for clients of a bar, neither on the terrace nor in the lounge. The only condition is that a minimum distance of two meters between tables and a meter and a half between diners is guaranteed, provided that they are part of a coexistence unit and in maximum groups of ten people.
The thing changes with respect to the employees, that yes they must take it. The same in hairdressing salons. As a general rule, and so far, all employees who have contact with customers should wear masks, but not customers.
The use of masks is expected
This is what is firm, what is contemplated, but yesterday the Government and Autonomous Communities agreed to expand the mandatory use of masks in public transport, closed spaces and public roads if the distance of two meters is not guaranteed. What does that mean? That according to what we know so far (published in this Public Health tweet ), you will have to wear masks almost at all times.
For what is communicated by Health, and in the absence of a firm ministerial Order that gives all the details, we will have to wear a mask when we go down the street as long as we cannot keep two meters away from the rest of the citizens. That, a priori, would include doing sports, walking or traveling to a site, but it will have to be detailed. “Enclosed spaces” is a broad term and can refer to a restaurant hall, shopping mall, worship center, or any place other than home.
There are several unknowns to be revealed, from how the two-meter distance in the street will be controlled to how people with respiratory difficulties and who cannot wear masks must proceed. The regulatory order is expected to be published in the coming days, so lack of it, for now, the use of masks is only mandatory on public transport, but it is recommended for all activities outside the home.
Posture changes
The truth is that the Government’s position regarding the use of masks has changed quite a bit over these months. On February 26, Fernando Simón said that “there is no sense that the population is concerned about whether or not they have masks at home.” On March 18, Health said that “the healthy general population does not need to wear masks.”
In late April, the Ministry of Health said that the use of hygienic masks in the general population in some circumstances could assist in reducing transmission of the virus. “After the speech went they are” highly recommended “and now will be compulsory in closed spaces, public transport and on the street when social distance cannot be maintained.
The criteria of the World Health Organization has not changed so far. On its official website, you can continue reading that “if you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are caring for someone suspected of having the 2019-nCoV infection” and that “the masks are only effective if combined with frequent washing hands with a hydroalcoholic solution or soap and water. “