Chile, one of the countries with the strictest measures to contain covid-19, inaugurated this Thursday a new phase of the pandemic: the mask is no longer mandatory outdoors in 14 of its 16 regions.
Face masks will be mandatory, however, in closed spaces and in any open space where a physical distance of more than one meter cannot be maintained, such as fairs or squares.
The only regions where masks are necessary at the moment are in the northern Arica and Tarapacá, where the epidemiological situation is different, in addition to some isolated cities or territories such as Easter Island, 3,000 kilometers in the Pacific.
This is one of the most anticipated measures in Chile, where the pandemic has been in decline for weeks after the peak caused by the contagious omicron variant in February and which raised daily infections to almost 40,000 infections.
“I think that I am going to continue wearing the mask always because winter is coming and there are going to be many other viruses circulating,” retiree Ana Gutiérrez told Efe.
“For me, the end of the mask and being able to walk more freely on the street is a relief,” student Javiera Fernández told Efe a few meters later.
The end of the mandatory use of masks is part of a new strategy to face the pandemic launched this Tuesday by the Chilean government and that includes three phases depending on the epidemiological risk: low, medium and high.
Chile, which has carried out one of the most successful inoculation processes in the world, also ceases to require vaccination against covid-19 or the performance of a PCR test for foreigners entering the country.
All these advances could go back depending on the epidemiological situation, according to the plan stipulated by the Government.
Last Sunday, the total opening of land borders was also announced as of May, since until now the country could only be entered through international airports and some specific steps.
