Is face mask mandatory at work? The answer is not as simple as it seems. It depends on several factors, as stated in the guide that the Department of Health of the Basque Government published last Monday. This guide was completed to solve the doubts left by the package of orders of day 15 and it details that the use of a mask on the street, in closed spaces for public use or in spaces open to the public is “mandatory”. In the same sense, they are included in the definition of places and exceptions have been defined, since within closed spaces there are also differences.

The paper produced by Nekane Murga's department itself states that "spaces not open to the public, such as workplaces or any other similar space, are not expressly included in the standard published last week." Thus, it is not necessary to wear a mask in the workplace at all times.

Main flexibility

The guide underlines that "appropriate measures should be applied in each space" and that they should meet two basic requirements: avoiding agglomerations and stopping the transmission of the virus. Thus, much more rigor and control has been imposed on civil public life than on jobs, as the mask must be worn on the street at all times.