Wearing masks will be obligatory again in Spain's hospitals and other healthcare facilities from Wednesday (Jan 10), the health ministry said on Monday as the country faces a flu outbreak.
The decree was announced after a meeting between the health ministry and representatives of the country's regions, who control their own health systems.
Spain, which was hit hard by the first wave of Covid-19 in 2020, has been considering the move for several days but a final decision was held up by disagreements among its regions.
"Since the pandemic, we have learnt," said Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia after the meeting. "We have thought hard about the issue of the mask to protect above all health centres and hospitals, to protect patients as much as (healthcare) professionals."
