Charlie Smith
FROM Sunday April 26 children aged 14 and under in Spain can finally leave COVID-19 confinement for exercise.
Some 8.3 million youngsters, who will have been locked down for six weeks, will be eager to hit the streets for some fresh air.
But what exactly are the country’s youngest citizens permitted to do outside? When and where can they do it? And who must accompany them?
This article answers those questions.
When can children go out and for how long?
- From Sunday April 26, when the Ministry of Health order comes into force, children can start leaving the house to exercise. This is according to several Spanish newspapers (The Government had previously said April 27)
- Children will be allowed out between 9am and 9pm
- They will be allowed one hour of exercise per day
What children can and can’t do outside
ALLOWED:
- Scooters
- Bikes
- Balls
- Running
- Jumping
NOT ALLOWED:
- Swimming
- Playing on the swings
- Playing with other children
Where children can and can’t go
ALLOWED:
- Beaches – in towns which have reopened them to coincide with the lifting of restrictions, including Marbella and Mijas (it is advisable to check with your town hall whether or not it has permitted walking on the beach).
- Basketball and five-a-side courts if they are empty
- Children must stay within 1km of the home
- Communal areas of urbanisations (with agreement of the community)
- Forests and countryside areas
NOT ALLOWED:
- Public playgrounds and gardens remain closed
Who can accompany children?
- Adults, including parents and siblings
- Adults can take a maximum of three children with them
- Prams and pushchairs are also permitted
What about masks?
- The Government ‘recommends’ facial protection, but it is not obligatory
What about over-14s?
- Children aged 15 and older have the same rules applied to them as adults, being able to go out for ‘essential’ errands
This latest information has confirmed by Spanish newspapers, including El Mundo.
