No masks on public transport

A FINAL decision has yet to be taken but it seems masks will no longer being required on public transport in Spain from February.

Local experts are said to have endorsed the removal of face masks on buses, trains and planes but not in health centres. It is understood the delay in making a decision is down to the open­

Organ donation

SPAIN continues to lead global organ donation figures which has helped Spain nearly recover its prepandemic transplant figures. The country recorded a 13 per cent increase in transplants completed during the last year in figures released on Thursday, January 19. The country has one of the highest organ donor figures in the world with 46.3 donors per million residents, well above the European average of 19.3.

After more than a year of pandemic disruption, organ transplants got back on track in 2022, growing by 13 per cent to 5,383 operations coming close to 2019 figures of 5,449. Approximately 15 transplants were carried out every day in the country. Spain also has an excellent bone marrow register with nearly 500,000 donors available.

Announcing the figures, Minister for Health, Carolina Darias said, “These figures represent a success that is shared by all of society and health professionals and place us in a position of excellence worldwide.” ing up of China and the lack of solid data from the country’s authorities.

Sources close to the Ministry of Health told a news source on Wednesday, January 18 that a decision had already been made to remove the requirement from March. They added that the situation in China had unfortunately delayed any announcement.

Covid­19 is under control in Spain and experts have said that whilst they are supportive of the move, caution was needed until the China situation was clearer.