Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Coronavirus: Spain allows adults out to exercise for first time in seven weeks

‘I have been looking forward to this for weeks,’ says one runner

Kate Ng
Sunday 03 May 2020 10:43 BST
Comments
Coronavirus: Spain allows adults out to exercise for first time in seven weeks

Spaniards have been savouring their first taste of life after lockdown as adults were allowed out for exercise on Saturday for the first time in seven weeks.

Any form of sport or exercise is allowed as long as it is carried out individually under new rules for outdoor activity, and people must adhere to specific time slots based on their age groups.

Spain’s coronavirus lockdown measures have been among the strictest in the world. Locals are still expected to practice social distancing; anyone with Covid-19 symptoms, and residents of senior homes, are still not allowed to leave their homes.

Adults under the age of 70 who wish to walk, run, cycle, or do any other physical activity outdoors can now do so between 6am and 10am, or between 8pm and 11pm.

Children have been allowed outside with their adult guardians since last Sunday, but their outings must now take place between 12pm and 7pm, reported El Pais.

More vulnerable people with caregivers, and seniors over the age of 70, can go outside between 10am and 12pm, or between 7pm and 8pm.

The timetable’s aim is to “avoid having people coincide on the street and to space out the activities”, said epidemiologist Joan Ramon Vallalbi, a member of the Spanish Public Health and Health Administration Society.

Spain has been hit hard by the coronavirus, and its death toll officially stands at 25,100. However, the rate of fatalities has dropped, with the country reporting 268 deaths – its lowest figure since 20 March – on Thursday. At its peak, Spain reported 950 fatalities overnight on 2 April.

In Barcelona, Reuters reported runners and cyclists taking to the paths near the beach. Similar scenes were seen in Madrid, as cyclists and skateboarders rode along the boulevards.

Charlotte Fraser-Prynne, a British government affairs consultant, told Reuters on her 6am run: “I have been looking forward to this for weeks. I was joking with my friends that I would be the first out in Madrid. I am very happy to be out after six weeks of yoga videos.”

The mayor of Madrid, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, said that the city’s parks will remain closed until 9 May. People were seen running and riding on the pavements around them on Saturday.

Mr Martinez-Almeida said on Thursday: “We are taking small steps forward, seeing the end of the tunnel, but we cannot let our guard down.

“We are going to see what happens from 9 May, what situation the deescalation is in, in order to make a decision on parks.”

Earlier last week, the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, announced a four-phase plan to return the country to what he termed “the new normality” by the end of June and restart its economy.

Businesses that operate by appointment, including hairdressers, will be allowed to open on Monday, but bars and restaurants are to remain shut for at least another week.

Other rules drawn up in the four-phase plan include the use of masks on public transport, and allowing visits to second homes as long as they are in the same province. The first phase is due to begin on 10 May.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in