Catalonia considers removing indoor mask mandate from next week

The Catalan health department will ask the Catalan government to remove the indoor face mask mandate in primary school from next week. The proposal would only be considered if the Spanish Interterritorial Council meeting rejects the petition from Catalan authorities at next week's meeting as there is currently a Spain-wide mandate. 

The idea is to start in primary schools and slowly get rid of the measure in the rest of the society, the Catalan health minister, Josep Maria Argimon, said in an interview with RAC1 radio station on Thursday. 

Health officials will request the measure be lifted after several petitions as they say children cannot wait any longer. 

"We cannot have school children wearing the face mask all day," Argimon said. 

He even explained that the Spanish health ministry intends to remove the indoor mask mandate everywhere after Easter, but Catalan officials plan to request the measure to be lifted earlier. 

The face masks mandate depends on the Spanish legislation, therefore, the final approval will come from Carolina Darias, Spain’s health minister, or Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez.

Covid-19 treated largely like the flu

Since Monday, Covid-19 in Catalonia is being treated largely like the flu in terms of medical surveillance, quarantines, testing, and sick leave.

The agreement among administrations changed the protocols in place and there is no longer a requirement to test, self-isolate, or go to the doctor's if someone has mild symptoms or none at all. 

Yet, authorities recommend staying at home until symptoms are gone, avoiding approaching vulnerable people, avoid attending mass events, reducing social interactions as much as possible, and avoiding poorly ventilated spaces. 

The new protocol has been questioned by one of Catalonia’s top epidemiologists, Oriol Mitjà, as he warned a seventh Covid-19 wave could happen.

"If you have symptoms, stay at home and if you need a sick leave, just request it, but we are not going to impose a strict seven-day quarantine," the Catalan health minister responded to the epidemiologist during his interview.    

A seventh coronavirus wave is possible, Argimon acknowledged, but "we have to try," he maintained.