Spain makes U-turn on face masks at the beach rule
Beachgoers are now allowed to remove masks while sunbathing or swimming
Spain has made a U-turn on a new ruling that made it mandatory to wear a face mask at all times while visiting the beach.
The face mask law came into effect last week and it is a legal requirement to wear a mask at all times when in public.
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However after a huge outcry from the Spanish tourism industry the rule has been amended to allow visitors to the country's beaches to remove their masks while sunbathing or swimming and as long as they are 1.5 metres away from non-family members.
Masks will have to be worn when walking on the beach or while in or outside beach bars and restaurants, apart from while eating or drinking.
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An example of the reaction from Spain's tourism industry comes from José Luis Zoreda, vice-president of Exceltur, the industry body that represents Spanish tourism, who said: “We’re going through hell with thousands of jobs and businesses threatened and now they want to turn the beaches into open-air field hospitals.”