Spain confirms Brits WON’T have to wear masks when sunbathing on the beach or swimming in pools
BRITS visiting Spain this summer will NOT have to wear masks when sunbathing or swimming either in outdoor pools or in the sea.
But health chiefs say they must be put on whilst strolling along the shore or when walking to the beach.
Spain’s Interterritorial Council has clarified details following confusion over mask-wearing and a suggestion by the Spanish government that masks had to be compulsory on the beach, even when sunbathing.
The rule prompted a barrage of criticism, including from potential holidaymakers who said wearing a mask whilst sunbathing would leave them with “two tone faces” and tourism leaders who claimed it would put tourists off from visiting Spain.
But, following a meeting yesterday, a mask will not be required in the case of individual sport exercise or “when, due to the very nature of the activities , that use is incompatible outdoors, provided the minimum distance of 1.5 metres is maintained.”
Activities incompatible with the use of the mask are: bathing in the sea, lakes, reservoirs, rivers and outdoor or covered swimming pools.
When sunbathing, masks will not be necessary with social distancing.
But masks must be worn when walking to the beach or along the shore.
In addition, the mask must be worn when using changing rooms in public or community swimming pools, except in showers and while staying outside or inside cafes, restaurants and bars.
A traffic light system for travel when restrictions are lifted was announced by the government on Monday.
Most read in News Travel
Different countries are set to be graded green, amber or red according to their vaccinations, infection rates, the prevalence of variants of concern, and their genomic sequencing capacity.
Travellers from green list countries will be required to take two tests before and after arriving in the UK, from amber countries they will need to test and also isolate at home and from red countries they will have to quarantine in a hotel.
It is unclear whether countries like Spain, Greece and Italy will have to be listed as amber though, as a result of the rising number of Covid cases among their populations.