Type of Intervention: Regulation
Sectors Involved: Civil Society
Intervention Categories: Individual measures
Level of Jurisdiction: National
Lead People/Agency: Minisitry of Health through the General Directorate of Public Health
Overview: The Ministry of Health orders the compulsory use of surgical or homemade masks that meet the protection specifications, for nationals and foreigners, to circulate throughout the territory of the Republic of Panama.
Violations of the provisions will be sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of Law 66 of November 10, 1947, or through current health legislation, consistent with the matter.
Full details here: http://minsa.b-cdn.net/sites/default/files/general/resolucion_1420_de_1-6-20_ordena_uso_de_mascarillas.pdf
Other links: 1
Type of Justification: Scientific Evidence (e.g. academic paper, report)
Source of Evidence or Justification: World Health Organisation, International – academic
Evidence/Justification: With the entry into force of the operation of the second block of economic activities, as part of the process of gradual return to the new normal and at the same time the absolute quarantine ended, this scenario increased the movement of people on the streets. Although most commercial venues were requiring the use of face masks, and on public transportation it was only a recommendation, there was no rule forcing people to wear them.
The fact that a large percentage of the population wears a mask contributes significantly to narrowing the spread of the pandemic according to Berkeley’s simulation model called “Interactive Agent-Based Model Visualization for COVID-19 Masking”:
“using complicated computational models we have discovered if the majority of the population (between 80% and 90%) puts on masks around the 50th day, the virus propagation curve can be cushioned and a return to earlier normality, “says computer engineering professor De Kai.