https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The Spanish government on Friday called for the wearing of masks to be obligatory in medical facilities as cases of flu and Covid-19 surge with the onset of winter. https://www.thelocal.es/20240106/madrid-wants-masks-worn-in-hospitals-as-viruses-surge Sat, 06 Jan 2024 12:34:14 +0100 madrid-wants-masks-worn-in-hospitals-as-viruses-surge The Spanish Health Ministry has announced that masks will no longer be required in certain healthcare settings, including hospitals and pharmacies, with a couple of exceptions. https://www.thelocal.es/20230626/covid-19-spain-to-scrap-face-masks-in-hospitals-and-pharmacies Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:55:59 +0200 covid-19-spain-to-scrap-face-masks-in-hospitals-and-pharmacies Spain's Health Ministry and the country's regions are meeting to decide whether to scrap the last remaining Covid rule in the country - the mandatory use of masks in hospitals, health centres, pharmacies and care homes. https://www.thelocal.es/20230621/covid-19-spain-to-decide-if-masks-should-finally-be-scrapped-in-hospitals Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:11:15 +0200 covid-19-spain-to-decide-if-masks-should-finally-be-scrapped-in-hospitals Despite other Covid-19 restrictions being lifted long ago, it is still mandatory to wear a face mask in Spanish hospitals, pharmacies and other health centres. So is this rule set to change anytime soon? Many health experts think it should. https://www.thelocal.es/20230420/when-will-spain-scrap-face-masks-in-hospitals-and-pharmacies Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:43:17 +0200 when-will-spain-scrap-face-masks-in-hospitals-and-pharmacies Masks are no longer be required on public transport in Spain from Wednesday February 8th, but when and where will they still be obligatory? https://www.thelocal.es/20230203/when-and-where-will-masks-still-be-mandatory-in-spain Fri, 03 Feb 2023 16:49:51 +0100 when-and-where-will-masks-still-be-mandatory-in-spain Spain's Health Minister has announced that in the coming days masks will no longer be mandatory on planes, buses, trains, taxis and other means of public transport. https://www.thelocal.es/20230126/spanish-government-announces-end-of-masks-on-public-transport-from-february Thu, 26 Jan 2023 17:19:48 +0100 spanish-government-announces-end-of-masks-on-public-transport-from-february A meeting is scheduled for Wednesday in Brussels to discuss the latest Covid situation in China - so could this mark the return of vaccine passports and travel restrictions? https://www.thelocal.es/20230102/is-the-eu-likely-to-reinstate-covid-travel-restrictions Mon, 02 Jan 2023 11:53:22 +0100 is-the-eu-likely-to-reinstate-covid-travel-restrictions Following the end of China's zero-Covid policy and a surge in infections in the world's most populous country, the Spanish government has gone back on its initial plan to not introduce new travel restrictions. https://www.thelocal.es/20221230/how-spain-is-reacting-to-chinas-covid-spike Fri, 30 Dec 2022 10:09:51 +0100 how-spain-is-reacting-to-chinas-covid-spike Spain’s flagship airline Iberia has criticised the Spanish government’s ongoing mask requirement for passengers on planes bound to the country, stressing that it “doesn’t make any sense” and “it affects tourism”. https://www.thelocal.es/20221117/spains-iberia-calls-on-government-to-scrap-face-mask-rule-on-planes Thu, 17 Nov 2022 13:39:14 +0100 spains-iberia-calls-on-government-to-scrap-face-mask-rule-on-planes The Spanish government's health experts have agreed not to review face mask usage on public transport until March 2023, a new report has found, by which stage almost a whole year will have passed since other face mask rules were lifted. https://www.thelocal.es/20221027/face-masks-on-public-transport-in-spain-to-remain-mandatory-until-march-2023 Thu, 27 Oct 2022 12:33:17 +0200 face-masks-on-public-transport-in-spain-to-remain-mandatory-until-march-2023 Spanish authorities have finally decided to stop requiring visitors from non-EU countries such as the UK and the US to provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination, testing or recovery to enter the country.  https://www.thelocal.es/20221020/travel-spain-scraps-covid-19-restrictions-for-non-eu-arrivals Thu, 20 Oct 2022 14:42:34 +0200 travel-spain-scraps-covid-19-restrictions-for-non-eu-arrivals Spain has dropped most Covid-19 restrictions, but do foreign residents in Spain travelling back to the Spanish territory from an EU or non-EU country still need to show proof of vaccination, testing or recovery in September and October 2022? https://www.thelocal.es/20220929/fact-check-do-residents-still-need-covid-documents-to-travel-back-to-spain Thu, 29 Sep 2022 11:09:22 +0200 fact-check-do-residents-still-need-covid-documents-to-travel-back-to-spain From October 20th, non-EU travellers arriving in Spain will no longer undergo health checks by airport officials to assess if they have Covid-19, sources from Spanish airport manager Aena are quoted as saying.  https://www.thelocal.es/20220927/travel-spain-to-scrap-covid-temperature-and-visual-checks Tue, 27 Sep 2022 15:44:38 +0200 travel-spain-to-scrap-covid-temperature-and-visual-checks There has been some confusion in the Spanish and English-language press following the announcement this week that Spain has scrapped its Covid health travel form. Here’s what Brits, Americans and other international travellers need to know about Spain’s existing travel restrictions.  https://www.thelocal.es/20220922/fact-check-do-you-still-need-covid-documents-to-travel-to-spain Thu, 22 Sep 2022 11:12:15 +0200 fact-check-do-you-still-need-covid-documents-to-travel-to-spain Spain has further eased its Covid travel restrictions by exempting all third-country nationals from having to fill in its health control form before arriving in the country, a decision which will benefit Americans, Australians and Canadians among other international travellers.  https://www.thelocal.es/20220920/spain-stops-requiring-covid-health-control-form-from-all-travellers Tue, 20 Sep 2022 12:44:33 +0200 spain-stops-requiring-covid-health-control-form-from-all-travellers Spain has extended its entry restrictions for visitors from non-EU countries including the UK until at least November 15th, meaning there are still several documents you need to show before being able to enter. https://www.thelocal.es/20220916/spain-extends-covid-restrictions-for-travellers-from-non-eu-countries Fri, 16 Sep 2022 12:59:08 +0200 spain-extends-covid-restrictions-for-travellers-from-non-eu-countries An outdated announcement by Spain’s Transport Minister on Thursday gave journalists the impression that masks would cease to be mandatory on aeroplanes, but the Spanish government has rushed to clarify what the country’s mask rules for public transport are.  https://www.thelocal.es/20220825/masks-still-compulsory-on-planes-in-spain-despite-confusion Thu, 25 Aug 2022 18:56:35 +0200 masks-still-compulsory-on-planes-in-spain-despite-confusion The pandemic no longer dominates daily life and travel, but do Spanish authorities still have restrictions in place for international travellers arriving during the summer of 2022? https://www.thelocal.es/20220817/travel-does-spain-still-have-covid-19-entry-requirements Wed, 17 Aug 2022 16:09:50 +0200 travel-does-spain-still-have-covid-19-entry-requirements Spain is currently experiencing an eighth Covid wave. For those who test positive during the summer of 2022, here's a reminder of all the rules and recommendations you need to be aware of, concerning asymptomatic, mild and serious cases. https://www.thelocal.es/20220707/what-are-spains-current-rules-for-asymptomatic-and-mild-covid-cases Thu, 07 Jul 2022 11:43:17 +0200 what-are-spains-current-rules-for-asymptomatic-and-mild-covid-cases Face masks ceased to be obligatory indoors in Spain in late April 2022, but could the recent rise in Covid-19 cases force the Spanish government to reconsider whether the rule should be brought back? https://www.thelocal.es/20220706/how-likely-is-it-that-spain-will-make-face-masks-mandatory-indoors-again Wed, 06 Jul 2022 19:06:44 +0200 how-likely-is-it-that-spain-will-make-face-masks-mandatory-indoors-again