On Wednesday 11 May, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) published updated guidelines on safety measures related to the epidemic. The new recommendations relate to air travel in Europe.
Coronavirus in Europe. Masks at airports and airplanes will no longer be compulsory
According to the new recommendations, masks will not be compulsory at airports and on board aircraft when cruising around Europe. The updated security measures will apply from Monday, May 16. However, it was stipulated that after this date, the rules for covering the mouth and nose on board aircraft may differ depending on the decisions made by individual airlines.
– From next week, face masks will no longer be compulsory when traveling, in line with the changing public transport requirements of national authorities across Europe. For passengers and flight crews, this is a major step forward in standardizing air travel. However, passengers should behave responsibly and respect the choices of others around them. A passenger who is coughing and sneezing should consider wearing a face mask to soothe nearby occupants, said EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky.
Read more about the coronavirus outbreak
“While many countries no longer require passengers to submit data to a passenger locating form, airlines should keep their data collection systems on standby so that they can share this information with public health authorities when needed, for example in the case of the new coronavirus variant.” we read in the EASA release.
In a statement, both EASA and ECDC stressed that the masks continued to be “one of the best safeguards against transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus”. Covering the mouth and nose with a mask will therefore not be compulsory, but passengers may still wear masks if they so wish.
The organizations stressed that the update of the recommendations was carried out taking into account the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular the level of immunization and acquired immunity. It is also supposed to be the effect of lifting restrictions in an increasing number of European countries.
Source: Gazeta
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