Spain Set to Ditch Outdoor Masks Rule Next Week

Spain's government will suspend the obligation to wear face masks outdoors as soon as next week, Cadena Ser reported.

The order, which was reintroduced last December to stem the Omicron variant, will take effect by next Wednesday, the radio station said, citing people in the government it didn't identify. 

The news comes as the latest coronavirus wave ebbs in Spain, with the infection rate falling for a ninth day in a row to stand at 2,420 per 100,000 inhabitants as of Thursday. The step would add Spain to a growing list of European countries, including France and Sweden, that are loosening restrictions.

Europe Accelerates Move to Pandemic Exit as Risk Alert Fades

In January, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on European governments to start considering the possibility that Covid-19 be treated as an endemic illness.

©2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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