Coronavirus: Children in Spain allowed outside after 6 week ban

Spain let children go outside and play for the first time in six weeks as European countries worked to ease their lockdowns.

Joan chases his daughters Ines, 11, and Mar, 9, as they play in the street on Sunday in Barcelona after the end of a six-week lockdown. Picture: AFP

This Spanish rule was particularly hard for some, but heartily welcomed by most.

For on Sunday children aged under 14 were allowed outside for the first time in six weeks, in the first step of a graduated release of the tight coronavirus lockdown throughout Spain.

While the government relaxation was a demonstrable relief for parents and nursery and primary school children – akin to the breathless excitement seen on Christmas Day – older teenagers and adults without young children to accompany outside could only look out from their balconies with envy.

They remain locked down inside their homes for a further week.

But 24-year-old Tayla Stephenson, from the Gold Coast, who is in Barcelona told The Australian: “I am feeling super excited to be allowed out for walks as of next week. I think it will be great the for the mental health side of things and hope its just the first of many restrictions being eased.’’

She said with all of the festivals in Barcelona cancelled for the year and clubs closed for months “it won’t be the year we were hoping for’’ but added the progress was welcome “baby steps’’.

Children under 14 were allowed outside for just one hour in daylight hours accompanied by one parent, and restricted to just one kilometre from their home. Many wore masks when they excitedly emerged with their bikes, scooters and rollerblades.

On Sunday the Spanish authorities announced the death toll dropped to the lowest figures in a month, with 288 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to over 23,000.

The Spanish government was forced to begin opening up the lockdown after serious concerns about the health of young children being cooped indoors without exercise since March 14. The entire country of 47 million has been in virtual house arrest since mid March under one of the strictest quarantines of any country in the world. However the country has still suffered with one of the highest death tolls in the world.

Australian Tayla Stephenson in Barcelona. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

During the lockdown military personnel and police have been guarding streets to ensure that people are only outside walking to the nearest shop or to go to hospital.

Alvaro Paredes, seven, and his brother Javier, four, had been up early in anticipation of being allowed outside.

“We are going to go out in an hour’s time, going about a kilometre on scooter or bicycle to do a tour around our neighbourhood,” their mother Inmaculada Paredes told AFP.

“They are super excited, very, very impatient. They were up at 6.30am, saying ‘We’re going out, We’re going out!’,” she said.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez told the nation that while children were allowed out for an hour, everyone would be allowed outside for exercise and walks from May 2. But he warned: “It is important that we follow the rules strictly, it is important that we do not underestimate the enemy.’’

Children play in the streets in Barcelona. Picture: Getty

Mr Sanchez said the lockdown release measures would not be the same in all parts of the country depending on the coronavirus spread.

“It will be gradual, asymmetrical, and it will depend on the territory in which one lives,” he said. “We will not advance at the same speed.”

Meanwhile in Italy, where daily deaths have also fallen below 300, prime minister Giuseppe Conte said on Sunday that while schools would only reopen in September because many teachers were elderly and required protection; many manufacturing and some other businesses will restart next week.

On Sunday night Mr Conte announced significant easing of measures for Italians who have been locked down since March 9, but he has stressed people must continue to stay a safe distance from each other.

To the relief of the nation which has been under heavy restrictions, including little exercise for more than seven weeks, he said the easing would begin next Monday, May 4 with factories and building sites to re-open. Other retailers will re-open two weeks later. Restaurants and bars will be fully operational from the beginning of June as will hairdressers and beauty salons.

Mr Conte told the nation: “If you love Italy, maintain your distance”.

He said the first stage of easing on May 4 will also allow people to move within their home region but not across regions. People will be allowed to visit family members but Mr Conte has ruled out large social gatherings.

For the first time in the coronavirus crisis Italians will be allowed outside to exercise and the parks will re-open.

However the maximum number of people allowed at funerals will be 15.

Mr Conte told La Repubblica newspaper there would be gradual lifting of restrictions because: ”We cannot continue beyond this lockdown — we risk damaging the country’s socio-economic fabric too much”.

He said if all goes well, smaller businesses can re-start on May 18 and public spaces like libraries, museums, exhibition venues can re-open. In a sign that La Liga may be possible, he said sports teams can begin to train behind closed doors from the middle of May.

Conte shut down the country in early March, but scientists now believe the virus had been circulating in northern Italy as early as January, well before the first coronavirus death on February 21.

More than 26,000 deaths in Italy have been attributed to coronavirus.