Masks no longer have to be worn inside in Spain for the first time in nearly two years.
Wearing a face covering indoors became mandatory in 2020, during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. Visitors to bars and restaurants had to wear a mask unless they were eating or drinking and they were a requirement in tight-knit outdoor spaces like football stadiums.
But from Wednesday April 20, wearing a mask is no longer compulsory in most indoor settings in Spain, including bars, hotels, cafes and restaurants. They must continue to be worn on public transport.
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“The mask without doubt has been one of the most identifiable measures over the past two years and it will no longer be obligatory,” health minister Carolina Darias said.
“They will continue to be with us as an element of protection, particularly for the most vulnerable.”
Employers can still decide to keep masks in businesses if there is a health risk, but in general, wearing one is now just recommended, but not obligatory.
It puts Spain more in line with the UK and will make holidays in Spain feel more like they did before the pandemic for British tourists. Mandatory masks were dropped in England in February and in Wales in March. Scotland's mask law ended on Easter Monday.
With more than 92% of Spaniards over 12 years old having received at least two vaccine doses and the number of coronavirus infections and deaths dropping sharply in recent months, Spain has also eliminated mandatory home isolation for people infected with the virus who experience no symptoms or mild ones.
Tourists from the UK can enter Spain if they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid in the past six months. Children aged 11 and under are exempt from the vaccination requirement, children aged 12 to 17 can enter Spain if they produce a negative Covid test.
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