Spain Drops Outdoor Mask Rule, But Many Stay Covered Up

COVID-19: Spain's newly relaxed rules allow one to not wear masks outdoors, but people still have to use them indoors or in crowded outdoor spaces.

Spaniards were allowed to ditch their face masks for a walk in the park or a trip to the beach on Saturday for the first time in more than a year, but some people were in no rush to dispense with their facial protection against COVID-19. "I'm surprised because I expected to see many people without masks, but most are still wearing them," said Manuel Mas, 40, a singer, in the centre of the capital, Madrid. While masks do not have to be worn outdoors under the country's newly relaxed rules, people still have to use them indoors or in crowded outdoor spaces where social distancing is impossible. Andrea Sosa, 20, a waitress from Madrid, said she would continue to keep her face covered because she had not been vaccinated yet.