Bahrain has announced it is no longer mandatory for people to wear face masks indoors and outdoors.
The decision, announced on Wednesday by the country’s National Taskforce for Combating Covid-19, can be reversed if needed, the authorities said.
“Individuals must protect themselves when dealing with elderly people and those suffering from chronic diseases,” the taskforce said.
Healthcare workers must continue to wear masks, it said.
Authorities in Bahrain also suspended a traffic light mechanism that was used to monitor the spread of infection.
“Based on the latest developments and data related to the coronavirus, it has been decided to suspend the traffic light mechanism with effect from Monday and to reactivate it whenever the need arises,” the taskforce said.
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Nurses check equipment in an intensive care field hospital in Riffa, Bahrain on April 14, 2020. The island nation has seen a spike in cases and an average of 70 people die of Covid-19 each week. Reuters -
A Saudi driver shows his vaccination certificate on a smart phone at Bahrain's immigration checkpoint on the King Fahad Causeway on May 17. Hamad Mohammed/ Reuters -
A Saudi motorbike rider shows his vaccination certificate as crosses the King Fahad Causeway. The country has seen a spike in cases since the Eid Al Fitr holidays. Hamad Mohammed / Reuters -
Bahrain opened leisure spaces after Eid Al Fitr to vaccinated people and people who had the virus and recovered. Getty -
People ride their bikes at the sunset in Manama, Bahrain. Hamad Mohammed / Reuters -
A US Navy servicewoman receives the vaccine at the Fifth Fleet's naval base in Manama, Bahrain. Brandon Woods / US Navy -
Crown Prince of Bahrain Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa receives a Sinopharm vaccine dose in July, 2020. AFP/BNA -
A woman attends her appointment for a second dose of a coronavirus vaccine at Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre (BIECC), in Manama, Bahrain. Reuters
Last July, the country adopted the four-tier system that monitors the spread of the disease and also the types of services and centres that can be made available to the public.
The levels are green, yellow, orange and red, and were based on the number of positive daily cases.
In November, the taskforce updated the system to be based on a rolling average of Covid-19 patients in intensive care units.
Since the start of the outbreak in early 2020, Bahrain has recorded about 552,890 cases and 1,470 deaths.
On Tuesday, the Health Ministry recorded 735 new cases and one death.
