Spain’s Government hints walks for elderly ‘on the table’ in bid to ease lockdown restrictions

SPAIN’S top health official has hinted that walks for the elderly, as well as children, are now ‘on the table,’ while other regional presidents push the government to allow solo outdoor sports.

This comes as a great relief for both locals and expatriates who have been under house arrest for weeks.

Fernando Simón, Spain’s Director of Health Emergencies and Alerts at the Ministry of Health hinted today that easing restrictions to allow the elderly to go out for daily walks, as well as children, are currently being reviewed. “These measures are currently on the table and are being considered by our health professionals, but they will require very strict controls,” he stated.

The news follows President Pedro Sanchez’s announcement yesterday, stating that he was fighting to allow children and parents go for walks after April 27. Although nothing is set in stone yet, Sanchez assured that the matter will be discussed over the coming days. Allowing children to go for a walk with their parents to get some much-needed fresh air, after so much time pent up at home is something that has been heavily debated since the start of the country’s lockdown.

Some regional governments believe that other segments of the population should also be considered for daily outings. Cantabria’s Presidente Miguel Ángel Revilla has stressed that pregnant women, for instance, should also be allowed to go for walks.

Others are pushing the government to ease restrictions to allow solo outdoor sports, so people can get much needed exercise too. Iñigo Urkullu, President of the Basque country has proposed to the government to also allow people to go out for solitary sports.

Easing lockdown restrictions to allow walks and solo sports would certainly provide much-needed relief for both the country’s nationals and expatriate communities, whatever age group they belong to.