Outdoor mask mandate ends in Spain, Italy to follow suit

By MANU FERNÁNDEZ
Associated Press

MADRID (AP) — Spaniards have removed their facemasks or stuffed them into their pockets for the first time in nearly two months after the country’s outdoor mask mandate was lifted. Italians face a similar treat Friday. Both countries have high vaccination rates, declining infection numbers and lower hospitalization figures than during previous surges of the coronavirus. Under the new rules adopted in Spain Thursday, schoolchildren will not be required to wear masks during breaks. But masks remain mandatory in indoor public spaces, including public transportation, and when people are unable to keep social distancing. After peaking in January, Spain’s contagion rate has been dropping for two weeks, alleviating pressure on hospitals.