COVID19: New rules on compulsory mask-wearing

To stem the recent spike in COVID-19 cases a new protocol comes into force on Thursday which extends the compulsory wearing of face masks to all indoor areas including offices, except households.

Those who drive for a living will also have to wear masks.

To protect public health, the use of a protective mask for those aged over 12 becomes mandatory in all indoor areas where there is more than one person.

It extends the current protocol which made face masks compulsory in busy indoor areas such as shops, banks, clinics and public service offices.

The new Health Ministry rules are as follows for face masks:

• Public transport
• Indoor areas
• Construction workers who must use disposable masks when travelling by car (the number of people in the car should not exceed two)
• Delivery drivers
• Inside lifts

Exceptions are:

• Households
• People who are drinking or eating
• Dining areas except for take-aways,
• People travelling in their personal vehicle,
• Sports/exercise (gyms, dance schools, etc.),
• Chefs / cooks
• People with special cognitive skills / mental/developmental disorders
• People with severe neurological/neuromuscular disease who are unable to wear the mask
• People with deformities and / or injury.

The above regulations are valid from October 15, 2020.

Those who violate the decree on mask-wearing face a €300 fine.

The maximum retail price of disposable masks is capped at 70 euro cents each by law.

That caught profiteering should phone 1429 (Consumer Line) to complain.