On Thursday, the President of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, repealed the law which requires the use of hygiene masks under the COVID-19 health emergency.
The new bill, which abolishes the use of face masks, was approved by the Chamber of Deputies on June 9 this year and passed by the Senate on September 20.
This new regulation also prohibits the introduction of a health passport in Paraguay for access to public places, both open and closed.
In contrast, the requirements for access to the country for people from abroad will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Health through regulation.
It is recalled that the law on the mandatory use of masks and the regulation that guarantees access to vaccines against the new coronavirus in the South American country came into force on December 22, 2020.
On April 18 of this year, the Paraguayan government had already repealed the emergency health decree that had been in effect since March 2020, lifting all nationwide restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
That decree had already lifted the requirement to wear masks or face masks in open and enclosed spaces.
Still, the law remained in effect, and the local Ministry of Health continued to recommend their use for respiratory conditions and in hospitals.