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Just three weeks after the Spanish government made it obligatory for all people to wear face masks in hospitals and health centres again, the Region of Murcia will reverse that rule, turning it into a recommendation rather than an order.

 

The face mask rule was reintroduced for Spanish healthcare settings on January 10 after a rise in Covid-19 and flu cases following the Christmas and Three Kings holidays.

 

Now, the Region of Murcia’s Health Department considers that the incidence rate of acute respiratory infections has decreased sufficiently to allow them to relax the rules once again.

 

In the last week, the infection rate has fallen by 24% in the Region of Murcia, according to the epidemiological surveillance system of the Regional Ministry of Health. The incidence rate of influenza fell by 51% and the incidence rate of Covid fell by 42%, while bronchiolitis and bronchitis recorded a decrease of 18%, according to data provided this Tuesday January 30 by the Minister of Health, Juan José Pedreño.

 

Spain’s National Health Ministry established that the individual communities could choose to get rid of the mandatory use of the mask after two weeks of consecutive decline in the incidence of acute respiratory infections, which is exactly what has happened in the Region of Murcia.

 

As such, as of Wednesday January 31, it will no longer be obligatory to wear a face mask in Murcia health centres and hospitals.

 

However, the Regional Minister of Health was emphatic in saying that it is still recommended for patients and visitors to wear a mask, especially in the Emergency Room, ICU or Oncology departments.