Andina

Peru: Facemasks only mandatory in health establishments, transportation vehicles on Oct 1

Photo: ANDINA/Diffusion

Photo: ANDINA/Diffusion

11:00 | Lima, Sep. 30.

Starting October 1, 2022, wearing facemasks will be mandatory only at health establishments, as well as inside ground transportation vehicles and closed spaces without ventilation.

The date of entry into force of this new public health provision was confirmed by the Peruvian Ministry of Health (Minsa) to Andina news agency on Friday morning.

Supreme Decree No. 118-2022-PCM was published Thursday night as part of an Extraordinary Edition of the Official Gazette El Peruano. It was signed by President Pedro Castillo, Cabinet Chief Aníbal Torres, and other State Ministers.

"The use of a KN95 facemask, or failing that a three-fold surgical mask and on top of it a (cloth-made) community mask, is mandatory inside health establishments, ground transportation service vehicles for people, as well as in closed spaces without ventilation," the decree specified.

This document stated that wearing facemasks will also be mandatory for people who have respiratory (disease) symptoms —both in open and closed spaces.

Meanwhile, it will be optional in open spaces and ventilated closed spaces.

Teachers are not required to wear facemasks

At Peruvian educational institutions, wearing facemasks will be optional for students and teachers, although —at this point— the decree warns that adequate ventilation must be guaranteed in accordance with current regulations.

In the case of restaurants or similar establishments in closed and unventilated spaces, facemasks can be removed only at the time of eating food.

Passengers arriving in Peru

The same supreme decree states that Peruvian citizens and foreign residents aged 12 years or older, whose final destination is Peru, must prove that they have received three doses of the vaccine against COVID-19.

Non-resident foreigners must have completed the vaccination schedule in accordance with their country of origin.

If they have not received the aforementioned doses, they are allowed to present a negative molecular test result no longer than 48 hours before boarding at their point of origin.

Children under 12 years of age only need to be asymptomatic to board.

The National Health Authority is empowered to conduct COVID-19 diagnostic tests on passengers arriving in Peru, establishing complementary health measures for positive cases.

It is also indicated that the verification of COVID-19 vaccination, in Peru and/or abroad, must be conducted by presenting the physical/virtual card, plus an official identity document.

(END) KGR/RRC/MVB

Publicado: 30/9/2022