Brits in Spain will be fined or ARRESTED if they don’t wear facemasks in public as country brings in new law – The Sun

ANYONE caught without a face mask on public transport in Spain after May 4 can be legally prosecuted according to the latest rules.

Spain announced on Monday that the public would have to wear masks in “closed public spaces” as well as on streets where 2 metre social distancing is impossible.

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Spain’s Health Ministry confirmed the move in a statement, saying the exact details would be made public in a ministerial order in the coming days.

Their use on beaches is not expected to be made mandatory because local authorities have already said they will enforce social distancing rules by limiting the number of people allowed on the sand.

The decision to extend the use of face masks was made at a meeting between the government and representatives from the country's regions.

It came after health ministers announced a rise in the number of Covid-19 deaths over the previous 24 hours of just 59.

Spain has now had two days of less than 100 deaths per day. Sunday’s figure of 87 was the lowest since March 12.

The Costa del Sol tourist resorts of Marbella and Fuengirola are now reopening their bar terraces after being given permission to move on to phase one of a four-phase recovery programme.

Brits were seen ditching the masks immediately as they flocked to pubs and bars in Benidorm after being trapped indoors since March 13.

Hotels were also allowed to re-open with limitations on Monday, although most stayed closed because of the absence of foreign holidaymakers.

The government’s decision to let the area move onto phase one meant it caught up with other popular tourist spots like the Costa Blanca where restrictions were eased on Monday of last week in recognition of its diminished coronavirus cases.

The cities of Madrid and Barcelona remain stuck on phase zero, meaning bars and hotels are still closed, but the government has loosened some commercial restrictions.

Around 30 per cent of the country’s population, some 14 million people, are on phase zero, with almost all of the other 70 per cent now on phase one.

The Balearic Island of Formentera and three small Canary Islands are the only ones who have moved to phase two, meaning among other things that restaurant owners can open up the inside of their eateries and restrictions on time-slots for doing outdoors sport have been eased. Sunbathing on beaches is also allowed there.

Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez has already said he wants to extend Spain’s state of emergency for another month when it ends on May 24 – but it is expected to be the last time.

A 14-day quarantine Spain introduced last Friday for people entering the country is set to end when the state of emergency is lifted, paving the way for the return of tourism.

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