From now on, the use of masks will be mandatory in all public places in the Balearic Islands: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.
From now on, the use of masks will be mandatory in all public places in the Balearic Islands: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.
Its use was already mandatory in closed places or where the safety distance could not be maintained. This law is imposed in the face of what could be a health disaster, a massive outbreak of coronavirus with the islands full of tourists.
The Balearic health system was able to control the 2,228 cases and 224 deaths with covid-19 that had occurred since March. Although the cases now appear to be milder, professionals still cannot fully explain the behavior of the virus. It is intuited that the least time in closed spaces can be a brake. The issue of temperatures is still uncertain, seeing data like those of Brazil.
The truth is that the numbers of positives have increased again in these weeks, and several outbreaks have been detected, including a family of tourists in Menorca to whom the health system has provided accommodation to spend preventive confinement before letting them go. .
Faced with this situation, and with the risk that human pressure increases exponentially with the increase in daily flights and tourists, 1,553 flights last weekend at Balearic airports, the autonomous government has decided to act.
It will be allowed to go without a mask in the following cases:
- On the beach keeping distances without crowds.
- Driving in the car if the occupants live together.
- Playing sports outdoors.
- In a restaurant the moment the lunch or drinks arrive.
Its use will be compulsory on all roads and public places such as:
- Stores, supermarkets, administration (in these it was already mandatory)
- Strolling through streets or parks
- In restaurants to enter, exit, go to the bathroom and be at the table until drinks or food arrive.
The new measure does not represent a big change from the previous situation. Every person should already have a mask to make purchases or procedures in offices. It should also be used when the safety distance could not be met. By extending the obligation, and sanctioning its breach, it is expected to eliminate risk situations experienced in these weeks of new normality.
Fines range from € 100 for individuals to € 600,000 for serious misconduct at premises, illegal parties, or recidivism. These sanctions will only be imposed by the agents of the different local police, in no case by the Civil Guard or the national police.
