Argentina lifts mask rule for outdoor activities

Argentina's Health Minister announced Tuesday that the South American country is lifting mask mandates for outdoor events and gatherings.

The fall in infections and deaths from COVID-19 in recent weeks played a determining factor in Minister of Health, Carla Vizzotti's announcement.

Mask use will continue to be mandatory indoors.

Dance halls and restaurants will open their doors at 50 percent capacity and whose patrons must show proof that they received their vaccinations 14 days prior to entering the establishment.

A little over 2,000 infections are recorded daily, down from the worst moments of the pandemic when daily infection rates reached 30,000 nationwide.

Minister Vizzotti also said that as of October 1, mass events of more than 1,000 people with a capacity of 50% will be allowed, which allows for fans to return to soccer stadiums.

In addition to the lifting of mask use inside, all travellers who come to Argentine for work  will not have to quarantine.

The quarantine ordered in Argentina in March 2020 was especially severe compared to other countries in the region, but did not prevent some 5.2 million people from becoming infected and the deaths of more than 114,000.