The use of masks will no longer be compulsory: Since when is this measure in effect?

This Wednesday, during the Council of Ministers, it was announced that people who are in open spaces will be able to stop wearing masks, as stated by the head of the PCM, Aníbal Torres.

This means that the use of face masks will no longer be mandatory in the following regions: Metropolitan Lima, Lima Province, Callao, Ica and Áncash.

“The restriction on masks is being removed in public places, in departments that have passed 80% in their third dose, in which we have Lima, Callao, Lima Province, Ica and Áncash. People who want to wear masks will be able to wear masks,” said the Minister of Health, Jorge López, after the meeting of the Council of Ministers.

As you remember, this issue had been on the table for a few days, after the Medical College of Peru, through Dean Raúl Urquizo, gave details of the meeting it held with the head of the Ministry of Health (Minsa), Jorge López Peña, at the who discussed the possibility of eliminating the mandatory use of masks in open spaces.

“The minister came to the medical school with his technical team. He gave us information on the state of the pandemic, vaccines, etc. This is the second meeting we are having with the minister. One of the topics was precisely the masks . It has been shown that in the Minsa tables few departments have passed more than 80% immunized with second doses and between 50% and 60% of third doses,” he told RPP Noticias in a dialogue.

In this context, Urquiza indicated that only Metropolitan Lima, Lima Provincias, Callao, Áncash, Ica and a few other regions have 80% of their population vaccinated with both doses against coronavirus (COVID-19).

“The rest doesn't reach 80%, we have a large group that doesn't even reach 65%, we have Puno, Madre de Dios, Ucayali. So the picture is that. So in the open places where 80% are (of the population with two doses) we have proposed that it be a pilot (eliminate the use of a mask) so that we do not have problems what happens if in regions where it does not even reach 80% there is an outbreak. Is there a response from health services, are there specialists, are there teams? ”, he said.

SINCE WHEN WILL I STOP WEARING MASKS IN OPEN SPACES?

During the Council of Ministers, Aníbal Torres was consulted on the measure of leaving the use of masks in open spaces. The premier indicated that this afternoon the promulgation of the norm would be coming out in the newspaper El Peruano, if not, it will be on Thursday or Friday.

“On the optional use of masks, if the decree is published today in the afternoon, it will take effect from tomorrow and whether it will be published tomorrow from Friday, because all regulations come into force the day after its publication,” said Premier Aníbal Torres.

OMBUDSMAN'S OFFICE AGAINST THIS MEASURE

This morning, upon learning of the intentions of the government and the CMP to propose to stop the use of masks, the Office of the Ombudsman declared and assured that as a precaution, every effort must be made to avoid infections and deaths from coronavirus during the coming months.

“The precariousness of health services and others, such as education, requires us to prioritize care and prudence to deal with COVID-19. The Government must avoid decisions that motivate the neglect of citizens in the face of a pandemic that continues to cause damage,” said the Office of the Ombudsman.

In addition, they recalled that millions of people still need to be vaccinated against coronavirus in our country with the first, second and third doses. “Insufficient immunization requires the use of masks to strengthen the protection of the population and public health.”

KEEP READING