Tomorrow, after 48 days of strict lockdown, most people in Spain will finally be able to leave the house for walks or exercise. The Spanish Health Minister, Salvador Illa, yesterday announced the time-slots when various groups of people will be able to leave their homes from Saturday, May 2nd.
The time-slots apply to all members of the public except for those with symptoms of coronavirus; those in quarantine or isolation because of exposure to the virus, and the residents of care homes.
Social distancing measures are expected to be observed for all outings. Illa says that this distance is, ideally, 2 metres. The use of masks is “highly recommended” but not compulsory.
Use of motor vehicles or public transport to travel to a place of exercise is forbidden.
The time slots are:
From 6 am to 10am and from 8pm to 11pm
- Individual sporting activities for those aged 14 and over.
- Individual sporting activities include running, cycling, riding a scooter and surfing. Swimming in the open sea appears to meet the conditions but has not been specifically mentioned.
- These outings are not time-limited, as long as they occur within the time slot. The only distance limit is that you must remain within the borders of your municipality.
- Sporting activities must be carried out individually, not in pairs or groups.
- Walks with one person from the same household for those aged 14 and over.
- Walkers can go out alone or with one companion from their home. They must not leave their municipality, nor go further than 1 kilometre’s radius from their primary residence. There is no time limit on these outings as long they take place within the time-slot. It seems that walkers will be permitted to take their dogs.
10 am to 12 noon, and 7pm to 8pm
- People over 70 years of age.
- Dependents who need to be accompanied by a carer.
12 noon to 7pm
- Children under 14.
- The same conditions established last weekend apply (up to three children may be accompanied by a single adult from the same household. Children may use toys and are limited to a one-kilometre radius of home).
- Children’s outings are limited to a duration of one hour within the time slot.
Other permitted outings
The law relating to other outings remains the same as previously and includes the following:
- Working adults travelling to their their workplace;
- People over 14 leaving the house to buy food, medicine or other essential supplies
- People attending hospitals, health centres, banks or other financial entities.
- Walking dogs (for basic necessities only)
- Other justifiable situations.
The time-slots have been designed to suit as many people as possible, allowing working-age adults the chance to exercise before and after standard working hours. However, they will still not suit everybody and certain paradoxes still exist.
For example, the rules mean that two parents who spend all day sharing the house with a child are not permitted to leave the house together at any time. More information and clarification is expected when the government publishes official guidelines later today.
Latest statistics: 30th April , 20:00
Increase on previous day’s figures in brackets.
Total Canarian Cases: 2206 (+1)
Cases on Lanzarote: 84 (+0)
Deaths (Canaries): 136 (+1)
