Holidaymakers heading to the Balearic Islands are being advised to wear face coverings to guard against a rising number of coronavirus cases. Health officials have warned the vulnerable should once again wear a mask in enclosed spaces - although there are no current plans to make it compulsory.
A new wave of Covid infections is sweeping across the popular holiday islands - which includes Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza - with current variant more contagious but milder than previous strains. However, medics have warned there is still a danger for the vulnerable.
Masks are currently only compulsory on public transport but there are calls to restore the face covering mandate to all indoor settings, such as bars, restaurants and shops. Cyprus has already restored mask rules for indoor settings with 300 euro fines threatened for people who ignore the regulation.
Balearic Islands health minister Patricia Gómez, has suggested she is not in favour of making it obligatory to wear a face mask inside, but urged residents and visitors to use their discretion. She told the Ultima Hora newspaper: "I don’t particularly like to be told what to do, I like to learn what to do. I think people need to be given the tools and they need to be informed.
“If I go to a large concert, I will wear a mask. Everyone knows the risk they run, but it is still a personal decision."
She added the Balearics had never dropped its guard against Covid despite the relaxation of its strictest restrictions. Balearic Islands government spokesperson Iago Negueruela said on Monday that the pandemic is under control in the region, despite the increase in cases.
Officials in other popular Spanish tourists centres have called for Covid rules to be restored. Officials in Malaga and the Canary Islands have already refused to rule out the return of mandatory mask wearing and stressed that plans for more restrictions could not be dismissed.
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