Brits visiting beaches in the popular Spanish region of La Marina will now have to wear a face mask on the sand.
At the moment face masks are only obligatory in Spain on public transport and in closed public spaces as well as outdoor public spaces but only where social distancing cannot be guaranteed.
Sunbathers can ditch their facemasks once they are on the sand in most regions of Spain.
But following a surge of new Covid-19 cases, La Marina north of Lugo in Galicia has been put on lockdown and people must wear face masks all of the time.
And that rule also applies to anyone going to the beaches in the area.
People can only take their masks off to swim in the sea or in their hotel pools.
The Catalonia region has also been hit by a second coronavirus outbreak.
It could become the first Spanish region to make face masks obligatory in public outside of mini-lockdowns.
Catalan Health Minister Alba Verges has said she will propose a tightening of current regulations.
Regional governors are expected to announce later this week if the move will be adopted.
Any move to make people wear them virtually everywhere outside their home would impact on the British holidaymakers now arriving in areas like the Costa Brava after Spain opened up to foreign tourists last month.
Beachgoers would be expected to wear face masks under the new rules being discussed in Catalonia.
A spokesman for the Generalitat, Catalonia’s regional government, said any change in the rules on face masks would be the result of the “relaxation” some people appeared to have adopted following the end of Spain’s state of emergency on June 21.
Meritxell Budo said: “We will have to live with coronavirus for the next few months. That’s a reality.
“The virus is still here and will continue to spread.“While we don’t have a vaccine we will have to put in place other types of barriers.”
Speaking to local press she added: “We think that by making face masks mandatory, we will guarantee that they are used as they should be.”
