After 7 weeks of lockdown, Spanish are f inally allowed out to exercise...
... as Austrians head to Zara and the hairdresser
JOGGERS and cyclists crowded the streets of Spain yesterday after a strict seven-week lockdown was eased in the wake of the country’s falling Covid-19 death toll.
Spain has suffered one of the world’s worst outbreaks of coronavirus with more than 25,000 deaths and its population has lived under a draconian lockdown since the middle of March.
Yesterday, as a further 276 of their compatriots were reported to have died from the virus, Spaniards were allowed outside under a strict shift system with time slots allocated to different age groups.
Adults are allowed to exercise between 6am and 10am and from 8pm to 11pm while children under 14 can go out between midday and 7pm accompanied by an adult.
From 10am to midday and from 7pm until 8pm the streets are reserved for older people.
Last week, prime minister Pedro Sanchez announced a four-phase plan to restore the country to what he called ‘the new normality’ by the end of June. Businesses that operate by appointment, such as hairdressers, can open from tomorrow but bars and restaurants must remain closed for at least another week. In
Madrid yesterday, cyclists and skateboarders raced along the city’s wide boulevards, ducking under police tape set up to prevent people congregating in public areas.
Elsewhere in Europe, lockdowns are also being eased although social di s t a nci ng r e mains in force. Churches, museums and playgrounds can open tomorrow in Germany while i n Austria all restrictions on personal movement have been lifted and all shops and businesses except restaurants, cafes and bars can open again.
From tomorrow, passengers travelling on the Eurostar from the UK will have to wear a face covering. In Hungary, business travel is allowed from some countries.