Spain holidays: Spain to ditch masks outdoors from Thursday in holiday boost

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The Ministry of Health announced that masks would no longer be mandatory outdoors from Thursday. Outdoor sporting events will also be able to have more spectators.

Currently, tourists and residents in Spain have to wear face masks both inside public spaces and outside.

Several scientists have said they disagree with the outdoor rule as Covid is unlikely to spread in the fresh air.

The rule was introduced on Christmas Eve as the Omicron wave of Covid threatened Europe.

It is also unpopular with many members of the public as some people find it hard to exercise while wearing one.

Epidemiologist Quique Bassat said that wearing masks outdoors was just a “cosmetic” approach.

They said: “When the sixth wave broke out, everyone was asking for something to be done.”

The epidemiologist added they felt it was “reasonable”to ditch the rule at this time now that the risk of Covid is lower.

Face masks will still be mandatory indoors in Spain and on public transport and at stations.

British tourists will need to be fully vaccinated to travel to Spain and must have had a booster if their second jab was more than 270 days ago.

Different regions across Spain have their own Covid rules and some use the Covid passport.

To qualify for a Covid passport, a person must be fully vaccinated, have proof of a negative test or have recently recovered.

In some regions of Spain, tourists will need a Covid pass to enter hotels, bars and restaurants.

In the Canary Islands, a popular winter destination, some bars and nightclubs are under a curfew.

Tenerife and Gran Canaria are Covid level four, the strictest level of rules in the Canaries, while other islands are at level two and three.

Bars and nightclubs must close at midnight in Tenerife if they do not ask patrons for a Covid certificate.

If all the customers can provide a Covid certificate, bars and nightclubs can now stay open until 2am.

British tourists visiting Spain will need to take a lateral flow test on or before day two after travel.

On February 11, travel testing will be scrapped for everyone entering the UK in a relaxation of rules.

British tourists are advised to check the UK Government website before travel as rules can change rapidly.

Spain is the UK’s most popular tourist destination and according to easyJet data more than 30 percent of Britons are planning a trip there this year.

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