Companies will decide on the use of masks after the end of their mandatory use

The prevention services of companies will determine when it will still be necessary to wear a mask after the end of its mandatory use indoors, which will come into effect next Wednesday, said this Saturday the Minister of Health, Carolina Darias.

The evolution of the pandemic currently presents different characteristics, mainly due to the very high vaccination coverage recorded in this country, which is a world reference, Darias said.

Therefore, next Tuesday a Royal Decree will be approved by virtue of which the mask will no longer be mandatory "in certain indoor spaces, following the proposal made by the experts who advise the Ministry of Health and the autonomous communities", she added.

The minister assured that, although it will be the occupational risk prevention services of each company that will determine in which areas it will still be necessary to wear a mask, the Royal Decree will include "that specification" so that there is no room for doubt.

Asked about the impact in terms of a rebound in infections that this measure may entail, which will begin to take effect after the Easter holiday, where there has been a great mobility of people, Darias insisted that "the current situation has nothing to do with the previous one."

Although she admitted that these increases in the accumulated incidence have occurred in some autonomous communities after a specific holiday, the head of Health stressed that the same has not happened with hospital occupancy, both in conventional beds and in ICUs.

Carolina Darias has expressed her confidence that the "exemplary behavior that this country has shown in the culture of care" will continue even if it is no longer mandatory to wear a mask in some indoor spaces, except for public transport, nursing homes and hospitals.