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Who is right, and who is responsible? Statements by the head of a Chinese Red Cross delegation visiting Milan, in Italy, have raised questions about the public messages being given by Spain's health ministry, led by Salvador Illa. The Chinese representative had blasted Italian authorities for not doing enough to completely lock down the population to halt coronavirus, and was outraged by the sight of people walking around the Lombardy capital without medical masks. Coincidentally, almost at the same time as the news broke, the Spanish health ministry stated in a tweet that "there is no need to use masks" for the general population.

Even US magazine Time has echoed the Chinese Red Cross's criticisms of the Italian authorities, publishing a video (subtitled in English, below). "I don't know what you are thinking," is the quote from the Chinese representative in Italy which Time uses as its title. 

The Spanish health ministry has released information on the use of masks which says the opposite to the Chinese Red Cross spokesperson, expressing a much more lax criteria.

"The healthy population in general does not need to wear masks," it says. In fact, the public only need to adopt surgical masks when advised to by healthcare workers, suggests the tweet: "Health professionals will indicate the use of masks in those situations where it is considered necessary," it states.

For the Spanish health authorities, it appears that masks are only definitely recommended for those infected with Covid-19.