Authorities in Italy have announced that they will keep the mandatory COVID-19 face mask requirement for citizens on flights to and from Italy, even though the EU will end its obligation to wear masks in airports and planes on May 16.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) agreed to lift the mask mandate on aeroplanes to ease the travel process further.
“From next week, face masks will no longer need to be mandatory in air travel in all cases, broadly aligning with the changing requirements of national authorities across Europe for public transport,” EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky has stressed.’
However, authorities in Italy have announced that FFP2 masks must be worn until June 15 on all long-distance public transport, such as buses, trams, regional trains, subways, ferries, planes, and high-speed trains.
Besides, authorities in Italy have also announced that mandatory face mask requirements will remain effective in theatres, care homes, hospitals, indoor sporting events, schools, universities, and concerts until June 15.
As part of efforts to further ease the travel process, the Italian government previously announced that travellers are no longer obliged to wear a face mask when accessing restaurants, bars, museums, and supermarkets.
However, it was clarified that the requirement to wear a face mask would remain influential in specific places.
Besides Italy, authorities in Spain also announced that they would continue to keep in place mandatory face mask requirements on flights, despite EU recommendations.
Spanish Minister of Health Carolina Darias has confirmed that the mask mandate will remain effective through a statement.
“We have recently adopted measures, hand in hand with prudence and always with the unanimity of the experts and, in this case, the Interterritorial Health Council,” Darias pointed out.
Such an announcement means that travellers who plan to visit Spain will be required to follow the requirements that are currently effective carefully.
“We have recently adopted measures, hand in hand with prudence and always with the unanimity of the experts and, in this case, the Interterritorial Health Council,” Darias has stressed.
In addition, authorities in Spain also announced that they will extend the current COVID-19 restrictions for another month until June 15.
