Spain's Catalonia makes masks compulsory in public at all times

Catalonia on July 8 ordered all residents and visitors to wear face masks in public at all times, becoming the first Spanish region to toughen a national directive mandating their use when in close proximity to others. The order, which takes effect on Thursday July 9, was announced by the Regional Leader four days after more than 200,000 people in the Segria area were placed under a local lockdown following a series of coronavirus outbreaks there.

In a news conference on Wednesday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the new spikes showed that people must remain vigilant, but also demonstrated Spain's regions are no able to act early to address coronavirus outbreaks.