Madrid (EFE).- The end of the journey of the masks is imminent. Since the government of Pedro Sánchez made probably the most important decision of the legislature on a day in March 2020, the approval of the state of alarm with the coronavirus pandemic knocking on the doors, more than three years have passed. More than 1,100 days.
During this long journey it became routine to put the mask in pockets, bags, backpacks and fanny packs. First, to go anywhere; then to go to some interior spaces; later, to go to pharmacies, hospitals, clinics or residences for the elderly.
In a few days, they will no longer be mandatory in the few places where they are still: health centers. Although they had already fallen out of daily life, especially when they stopped being prescribed for public transport, in February, the decree that the Council of Ministers is expected to approve next Tuesday will be the last step, the last dance.
At least as far as this latest pandemic is concerned.
Here’s the timeline:
year 2020
– January 31.- First case of coronavirus in Spanish territory: a German tourist in La Gomera (Canary Islands).
– March 3.- The first death from coronavirus is confirmed: a man who died on February 13 in Valencia.
– March 10.- Congress and the Senate suspend their activities, public events are limited in areas of high transmission and the Fallas in Valencia are postponed.
– March 11.- The WHO describes the coronavirus as a pandemic
– March 14.- The Government approves the state of alarm throughout the territory for 15 days with measures to severely restrict the movement of people and economic activity.
– March 15.- The state of alarm empties the streets
– April 26.- The children go for a walk. The number of daily deaths is 288.
– April 28.- The Government approves a de-escalation plan with four phases.
– May 4.- Phase 0 of de-escalation begins, which allows, among other things, the opening of hairdressers, small businesses by appointment and restaurants with take-out food. The use of a mask is mandatory on public transport.
– June 9.- The Government approves a decree with measures for the “new normal”.
– June 21.- After 98 days and six extensions, the state of alarm ends and Spain is already in the “new normal”. There are no limitations on the mobility of vehicles, but there are limitations on capacity and the obligation to wear a mask in closed places and open public spaces where it is not possible to maintain social distance.
– July 8.- Catalonia establishes the mandatory use of a mask in public spaces even if the safety distance is respected, a measure that is later adopted by the rest of the communities.
– August 14.- Health and the communities agree to close nightlife, limit restaurant hours and prohibit smoking in the street.
– November 18.- VAT drop from 21 to 4% of the prices of surgical masks.
year 2021
– January 27.- Carolina Darias replaces Illa at the head of the Ministry of Health.
– March 31.- The obligation to wear a mask comes into force even while maintaining the safety distance of 1.5 meters and outdoors.
– May 9.- The state of alarm in Spain ends and thousands of people take to the streets to celebrate without security measures and giving rise to crowds.
– May 31.- The director of the Health Alerts Coordination Center, Fernando Simón, says that the mask could cease to be mandatory outdoors at the end of June or July.
– June 26.- The obligation to wear a mask outdoors is eliminated if there is a safe distance.
– July 6.- Spain faces a fifth wave with an explosion of cases among young people. Several communities stop the de-escalation and in the following days they limit nightlife and advance the vaccination of young people.
– July 21.- Congress ratifies the optional mask outdoors if there is social distance.
– August 4.- The Ministry of Health authorizes the return of the public to stadiums with a capacity of 40% in open venues and 30% in closed ones.
September: More than 35 million citizens have completed the vaccination schedule.
– September 29.- Health authorizes 100% of the capacity in football stadiums and 80% in closed venues. Catalonia and the Basque Country maintain a capacity of 60% abroad.
October: In the Community of Madrid, the mask is no longer mandatory in school yards and in workplaces if there is a distance of 1.5 meters.
– December 17.- Spain is at very high risk (511 incidence points), after a record number of cases: 33,359, due to the explosion of the omicron variant.
– December 20.- The incidence escalates to 609 cases with ICUs already at high risk. In addition, the explosion of infections overwhelms primary care.
– December 23.- The Council of Ministers approves the mandatory nature of the mask outdoors.
– December 28.- The sixth wave continues without reaching its ceiling.
Year 2022
January: More than 90,000 deaths since the pandemic began // Spain registers a new daily record of infections, 179,125, and the incidence rises to 3,127.
– January 13.- The Government limits the price of antigen tests to 2.94 euros.
– February 8.- The Government eliminates the obligation to wear a mask outdoors and in schoolyards The capacity at sporting events goes to 85% in open venues and 75% in closed venues.
– February 10.- First day without a mask outdoors.
– March 31.- Congress, at the request of Citizens and with the support of the PSOE, asks to eliminate the mask indoors as soon as the experts endorse it.
– April 6.- Darias confirms that the removal of masks indoors will take effect on April 20.
– April 20.- The mask is no longer mandatory in indoor spaces except health centers, residences and transport.
– April 21.- Asturias, at high risk due to hospital occupancy levels, maintains the recommendation to wear a mask indoors and expands diagnostic tests to detect covid-19 to people under 60 years of age.
– July 1.- The seventh wave shoots up. Darias calls for prudence and recommends the use of the mask.
– July 7.- The communities rule out forcing the use of a mask indoors.
– September 2.- Health eliminates covid restrictions in school canteens.
– September 23.- ICU occupancy is 1.5%, the lowest since the pandemic broke out.
– December 27.- Vaccination against covid-19 in Spain is two years old, in which it is estimated that it has saved more than 450,000 lives. More than 104 million doses have been administered.
Year 2023
– February 8.- The mask is no longer mandatory on public transport.
– March 28.- Change in the Ministry of Health: José Miñones replaces Darias.
– May 5.- The WHO declares the end of the international emergency for covid-19.
More than 120,000 deaths in Spain, according to official figures.
– May 8.- The WHO recommends keeping masks in health centers, at least for health workers and the most vulnerable patients.
– June 23.- Health and the communities support the removal of the mask in hospitals, pharmacies and residences.
– June 27.- Miñones says that the Government will approve these days the end of mandatory masks in health and social health centers and pharmacies, where they will become recommended.
