Scientific Advisory Committee in favor of lifting face mask requirement on school playgrounds

The Catalan health department's Scientific Advisory Committee issued a report on Thursday in favor of removing the face mask requirement on school playgrounds and other outdoor areas.

The non-binding report will be sent to a Catalan government delegate committee as well as to the Spanish government – which has implemented a Spain-wide mandate on their use – for their consideration. 

Although all children over the age of six must wear masks while in school, health minister Josep Maria Argimon recently called removing them "a priority" due to "teaching and pedagogical" reasons. 

This comes just over two weeks after education minister Josep González-Cambray said the face mask requirement in schools would be lifted "as soon as possible" while also stressing it depended above all on health criteria.

Covid-19 in Catalonia

Although the pandemic is, for the most part, under control in Catalonia, the transmission rate (1.16) and outbreak risk (59) have risen over the past week. The outbreak risk is calculated using an EPG index, which is found by multiplying the average spread of the virus over the past seven days by the cumulative incidence over the past two weeks.

As of November 3, 2021, official figures, released daily on this website, state that there have been 1,005,942 confirmed Covid-19 cases (PCR tests and others including antibody tests), while a total of 24,028 people with or suspected to have had the virus have died since the beginning of the outbreak according to funeral homes.

The Covid-19 vaccination campaign is currently open to everyone ages 12 and older. 5,985,601 residents have been given the first dose of the vaccine, 75.7% of the total population. Out of those, 5,148,996 have also been administered a second dose (65.3% of the total population). 5,880,740 residents are considered to be fully immunized (74.3%). 

Under 65s who have already had the virus are only required to have the first dose, and others have received a single-dose jab. Therefore, the % of two doses administered and % fully immunized do not match. Third doses have also been approved for immunocompromised people as well as elderly nursing home residents.