Wearing masks will be obligatory again in Spain's hospitalsand other healthcare facilities from Wednesday, the health ministry said onMonday as the country faces a flu outbreak.
The decree was announced after a meeting between the healthministry and representatives of the country's regions, who control their ownhealth systems.
Spain, which was hit hard by the first wave of COVID -19 in2020, has been considering the move for several days but a final decision washeld up by disagreements among its regions.
"Since the pandemic, we have learnt," said SpanishHealth Minister Monica Garcia after the meeting.
"We have thought hard about the issue of the mask toprotect above all health centres and hospitals, to protect patients as much as(healthcare) professionals."
The wearing of masks is "a measure that is effective,common sense, that is backed by scientific evidence and that is welcomed by thegeneral population", she added.
Garcia had already on Friday expressed her support for areturn to obligatory masks in healthcare facilities in a post on X, formerlyTwitter.
The eastern regions of Valencia and Catalonia had also saidon Friday that they would require masks for healthcare workers and patients.
For days, doctors in Spain have been raising the alarm aboutrising cases of the flu, as well as Covid and other respiratory viruses.
Mask mandates were well respected in Spain during thepandemic, where lockdowns were among the strictest in the world.
Masks were required until July 2023 in places likely towelcome at-risk populations, such as hospitals, retirement homes andpharmacies.
The coming mandate will not apply to pharmacies, theministry said.—AFP