Spain let children go outside and play on Sunday for the first time in six weeks as European countries – battered by coronavirus pandemic – methodically worked to ease their lockdowns and reopen their economies.
Over 23,000 people in Spain have died from Covid-19 but on Sunday the country posted its lowest daily death toll in over a month.
The children went outside on foot and with bicycles, skateboards and scooters. It was a first step as the government plans a gradual process of easing restrictions.
“I never thought I would miss school but I really miss it,” Lucia Ibanez, 9, out for a walk with her mother told news agency Reuters. Ibanez said she had missed the streets and the park and “feeling the air on your face” during lockdown.Children have been allowed one hour of supervised outdoor activity per day between 9 am and 9 pm, staying within one kilometre of their home. Many children wearing protective masks were seen strolling the streets in Madrid.
As per the relaxation allowed by the government, adults can accompany up to three children who will not be allowed to use playparks or share toys, and must adhere to social distancing guidelines, remaining at least two metres from other people.
“It was totally necessary after 42 days,” said Carla Marquez, out with her daughter near Las Canteras beach in Gran Canaria. “It has been super emotional… We have to value the small things in life which apparently we didn’t before”.
Spain’s health ministry, meanwhile, said that 288 more people had died after being diagnosed with Covid-19, the lowest daily rise in the death toll in the past month.
That brought the total number of deaths to 23,190, while the overall number of cases rose to 2,07,634. Spain has registered the third highest number of Covid-19 deaths, after the United States and Italy.
The government had declared a state of emergency on March 14 and shut down most public life and economic activity.
