Coronavirus: Spain allows outside walks and individual exercise

Video. Coronavirus: Spain allows outside walks and individual exercise

Spaniards took to the streets on Saturday to exercise for the first time after seven weeks of confinement to their homes during the coronavirus lockdown.

Spaniards took to the streets on Saturday to exercise for the first time after seven weeks of confinement to their homes during the coronavirus lockdown.

People ran, walked, and rode bicycles under a brilliant sunny sky in Barcelona, where many flocked to the maritime promenade to get as close as possible to the still off-limits beach.

Others jogged around parks and along sidewalks across the nation.

The government has set up time slots for age groups and activities.

People between 14 and 70 years old can now go out for individual exercise, and couples in that age group who live together can go for walks from 6 am to 10 am (0400 GMT to 0800 GMT) and between 8 pm and 11 pm (1800 GMT to 2100 GMT).

People over 70 can go out from 12 pm to 7 pm (1000GMT and 1700GMT).

Children, who last week were the first allowed outside, can now go out with a parent between 12 pm and 7 pm (1000 GMT and 1700 GMT).

Until now, adult Spaniards were obliged to stay home, except for food shopping and for buying medicine, as well as unavoidable to go to commute for work.

Spain has recorded more than 24,800 Covid-19 related deaths and more than 215,200 infections.

The lockdown has succeeded in reducing the daily increase of cases from more than 20% to under 1%.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.