Mandatory masks, new deadline from the Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health has decided to extend the obligation to wear a mask due to the dramatic increase in infections.
Covid, together with flu viruses, has started to run across the peninsula, forcing millions of Italians to bed during the holidays and proof of this are the numerous Christmas lunches and events that were abandoned due to high fever.
But the peak of infections has not yet been reached.
According to experts, in fact, the last "blaze" of Covid should be recorded on New Year's Eve.
Although the incidence and the transmissibility index are decreasing compared to last week, in fact, according to experts, the peak of infections has not yet been reached and what worries virologists is precisely the last day of the year.
Due to the many toasts, including kisses and hugs exchanged with friends and relatives, the Sars-Cov-2 virus, with its multiple variants, could spread more rapidly.
Therefore, the experts have advised us to behave conscientiously, subjecting ourselves to anti-Covid swabs in the event of manifest symptoms, especially if we have to come into contact with fragile friends and relatives or those with risk factors.
And among the measures to be adopted preventively to limit the spread of the virus there is also the use of the mask – only in certain places indicated by the Ministry – extended for a good part of 2024.
But what is the new deadline? It is appropriate to find an answer to this question, remembering where it is mandatory to wear masks and for how long.
Below is everything you need to know about it.
read also Covid, the mandatory swab is back: here's where and who has to do it Mandatory masks due to infections: the situation in Italy From the beginning of December, masks became mandatory again in hospital wards and RSA due to the dramatic increase in infections.
Infections which, according to the latest ISS-ministry report for the week 21-27 December, would be decreasing slightly, but according to experts this is not the case.
Currently, according to the data in the week of 21-27 December, there has been a drop in incidence equal to 70 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, down compared to the 103 thousand in the period 14-20 December, as well as the number of infections which stood at around 40,988 positive cases compared to 60,556 the previous week.
The drop in incidence, warns the ISS, could however be partly attributable to a "reduced frequency of diagnoses carried out during holidays".
Fabrizio Pregliasco, virologist at the State University of Milan, also agrees on an underestimation of cases, recalling that the Covid transmissibility index is "always close to the epidemic threshold of 1, just below, so the risk of an expansion phase remains" .
read also Covid, variants compared: symptoms and differences between Pirola, Eris and JN.1 Mandatory masks: here's where and until when The picture of infections speaks for itself, the significant increase in Covid positive cases has forced healthcare facilities to adopt various measures: in Lombardy a block has been imposed on non-urgent hospitalizations booked by citizens in the rehabilitation and socio-healthcare area until 31 January, while for surgical hospitalizations (non-urgent) the block will last only until 15 January.
But the Ministry of Health also intervened to stem the spread of Covid and decided to extend the obligation to wear masks until 30 June 2024 in: Rsa; long-term care facilities; rehabilitation facilities; hospice; hospital wards with fragile patients.
In fact, it remains mandatory to wear respiratory protection devices for workers, users and visitors at health facilities within the departments that host frail, elderly or immunosuppressed patients, especially if they require high intensity of care, identified by the health management of the health facilities themselves.
The obligation was then extended to workers, users and visitors of social-health and social-welfare facilities; including hospitality and long-term care facilities, healthcare residences; hospices; rehabilitation facilities and residential facilities for the elderly (including those who are not self-sufficient).
read also Jn.1 Covid variant, incubation period, symptoms and dangers