Ban on outdoor exercise should be lifted in ‘first 15 days’ of May, say health experts in Spain, as plans to remove coronavirus restrictions slowly take form

HEALTH experts have told the Spanish government that the next step in lifting COVID-19 restrictions should be to allow for outdoor exercise. 

According to government sources, the deescalation calendar is looking to allow outdoor sports at some point in the first 15 days of May, reported Diario Sur. 

That will not include team or contact sports or court-based games like tennis, but individual activities, such as running or cycling.

Meeting in groups will continue to be strictly prohibited.

“A person who runs alone on the street or rides a bicycle is not a risk, but if I am going to meet another person who runs in front of me, and with three others a little later, that would be a very bad outcome,” said director of the Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies Fernando Simon.

In his daily press conference today, Simon admitted that authorisation to practice sport is a ‘reasonable’ request which is currently ‘on the table’ for experts, although always with ‘very strict controls’ in mind.

Experts are still deciding on finer details, such as where runners and cyclists can travel and how far, and whether or not they should be forced to wear masks.

Health bosses fear parks and cycle lanes may become overrun with keen athletes, making it difficult to keep to social distancing rules.

Spain is the only country in Europe that has banned outdoor exercise and is among the few in the world to have done so, joining India, Peru, Argentina, Malaysia, the Philippines and Bangladesh.