Spain’s Government to debate specific ‘outing’ timetables for different age groups to avoid overcrowding & risk of Covid-19 as it readies to relax lockdown restrictions on May 2

Spain’s government is considering specific ‘outing’ timetables for different groups of the population to avoid overcrowding and the risk of coronavirus (Covid-19) contagion as lockdown restrictions are relaxed further this weekend.

FOLLOWING the government’s recent announcement to relax lockdown rules to allow all citizens to do an individual sports activity or go out for walks from May 2, many of Spain’s regional governments and health experts have proposed the idea of establishing a set timetable for outings, depending on age group.

The Ministry of Health is already studying proposals put forward by certain regional governments, such as Andalucia and the Canary Islands. Andalucia’s government, for example, has proposed that elderly people go out in the mornings between the hours of 9am and 2pm, and parents with children between the hours of 4pm and 9pm.

“Establishing separate timetables for the elderly and families is a good idea,” said José Martínez Olmos, Professor of Andalucia’s Public Health School (La Escuela de Salud Pública de Andalucía). The region’s Health Advisor Jesús Aguirre, agrees:  “The virus is here to stay, and therefore it’s vital for those at high risk, such as the elderly, to continue to avoid contact with younger members of the population, who could potentially still be contagious.” The issue is expected to be debated by Ministers tomorrow, with guidance for citizens to follow shortly after.