05/07/2023 18:30 (act. 05/07/2023 18:30)
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The latest corona measures are slowly being taken in Mallorca: This includes a ban on smoking in the outdoor areas of restaurants and bars. However, other restrictions for smokers must follow.
The ban on smoking outside bars has been in effect in the Balearic Islands since August 2020. It is part of a package of measures against the corona virus. Although almost all other corona measures have been abolished, Mallorca’s smoking ban initially remained in effect.
Date still uncertain
According to the “Mallorca Zeitung”, the government has now decided to allow smoking in open-air restaurants again. According to a spokeswoman for the Balearic Ministry of Health, an exact date for the end of the smoking ban has not yet been defined.
The smoking ban was part of a package of measures against the corona virus. (Source: AFP)
More recently, according to a special regulation in the Balearic Islands, smokers always had to stop in one place and could not walk while smoking. Theoretically, there was even a minimum distance of two meters for other passers-by. In practice, however, this regulation was barely verified.
Voluntarily smoke-free facilities
At the end of May, Balearic Cancer Aid (Asociación contra el Cáncer de Baleares) called on bar operators to continue to keep their outdoor areas smoke-free, despite a possible change in the ban. Several bars, cafes and restaurants have already responded to this call and remain smoke-free.
Smoking ban on beaches
Elsewhere, official smoking bans remain in place: a few months ago, other communities declared their beaches smoke-free zones. These decisions go back to the “Platges sense fum, platges saludables” (“Smoke-free beaches are healthy beaches”) initiative of the Balearic Health Authority. The ban now applies to around 15 beaches.
Extension of the smoke-free law
In addition, an amendment to the Spanish central government’s anti-smoking law is still pending, which could deter smokers. This law aims to increase the prices of cigarettes and tobacco throughout Spain. The government also wants to extend the smoking ban to other public places, such as beaches, parks, football fields, sports facilities and concerts.
Masks are also mandatory in hospitals.
In addition to the partial ban on smoking in outdoor areas of bars and restaurants, the obligation to wear a mask in pharmacies, health centres, hospitals and socio-medical centers in Mallorca also drops. It remains unclear when exactly this abolition of the mask requirement will go into effect.