The Spanish Prime Minister has announced the government’s intention to allow children under the age of 12 to go out and play from next Monday, but under strict guidelines and regulations which have yet to be finalised.
Also “on the table” are plans to allow the elderly to go out for brief periods of exercise and also allow young people to enjoy outdoor “solo exercise.” The latter again need to be ironed out today with Congress expected to vote on the first two weeks of phase two and what it will entail tomorrow. What is clear, no major lifting of the lockdown, after what will have been six weeks come Sunday, is going to happen.
While, across Europe the number of new cases and deaths appears to be dropping, a number of countries, including Italy, are easing the lockdowns a little more with small shops allowed to reopen and even some schools. But Spain is standing firm.
A poll published by 40dB for the newspaper El País has reported that 59% of those asked thought that the lockdown should be maintained as it is for the time being. However, regions with the lowest number of cases, such as Andalucia, want the Costa del Sol and the rest of the region to be among the first in Spain where the coronavirus crisis lockdown is lifted - the government wants to get moving and kick start the tourist industry. But I think Spain needs to take it step by step, there is a long way to go yet and control needs to rest in the hands of Madrid.