Tougher laws on the use of facemasks in Spain

The Official State Gazette (BOE) has published a Draft Law on the use of facemasks outdoors.

Known as the ‘new normal’ law, it was approved on 18 March in the Congress of Deputies.

Among the measures, which will come into force on Wednesday 31 March, and which will be maintained until the end of the pandemic, is the obligation for people, from the age of six, to wear a mask at all times when on public roads, on beaches and in any closed space for public use or that is open to the public, even if the safety distance of 1.5 meters is maintained.

The decree also refers to places of work where the management must ensure ventilation, cleaning and disinfection measures that are  appropriate to the characteristics and intensity of use of the workplace, in accordance with the protocols.

They must also be worn when travelling by air, sea, bus, or rail transport, as well as in public and private transport of passengers in vehicles with up to nine seats, including the driver, if the occupants of the vehicles do not live at the same address. In the case of passengers on ships and boats, it will not be necessary to wear masks when they are inside their cabins.

Masks will neither be required in the case of individual sport or outdoor exercise.

Neither will masks be required for people who have respiratory illnesses or breathing difficulties that may be aggravated by the use of the mask or who, due to their situation of disability or dependency, do not have the ability to remove the mask. Neither will the wearing of mask be required for thos with behavioural problems that make their use impractical.

“It will not be required either in the case of individual outdoor sport, or in cases of force majeure or situations of necessity when, due to the nature of the activities, the use of the mask is incompatible, in accordance with the indications issued by the health authorities, “the document states.