Thousands of Spaniards woke up early Saturday to button up their sneakers for the first time in seven weeks of confinement after the government lifted the ban on outdoor exercise.
Dressed in sportswear, the early risers took to the streets at 6am for a jog, bike ride, and intense walk, and many took extra precautions to relax unaccustomed muscles and avoid a sprained ankle that would ruin the joy of regaining exercise. out of home.
Some runners wore face masks despite the difficulty they cause in breathing. The Spanish health authorities have recommended the use of face masks to reduce the possibility of infection by the virus that causes COVID-19.
After a 20-minute jog in Barcelona, Cristina Palomeque, 36, was taking a break when asked how she felt.
“Well, very tired. I haven’t been exercising for six weeks and it shows that I’m in poor shape, ”he said. She commented that she was tired of exercising at home, taking Zumba and yoga classes online.
“There are people who think it is too early, and I think the same, but it is also important to exercise for health,” he added.
A sunny sky in Barcelona drew many to the promenade near the beach, which is still closed to visitors. People are supposed to respect a distance of two meters from each other, but the crowds in some places made it impossible.
Eduardo Conte, 37, said he woke up too early not to find the place too crowded and said he had a calm race to avoid injury.
“Today we take a new step in the measures of relief of the confinement but we must do it with prudence and responsibility. The virus is still there, “tweeted the Prime Minister of Spain.
Since Spain began their home confinement on March 14, only adults could go out to buy food, medicine and other essential goods, or to walk their dogs close to home. All commuting was prohibited, but unavoidable commuting to and from work is now allowed, as authorities encourage people who can work from home to continue doing so.
Spain has detailed a complex plan of return to normality that will vary according to the province. Those with fewer cases and with sufficient medical attention capacity to handle a rebound of the virus will be the first to enjoy greater relaxation of the measures.
The confinement, among the strictest in the world, has managed to reduce daily increases in confirmed cases, from more than 20% to less than 1%, thus avoiding the collapse of hospitals.
Spain reported a daily increase of 276 deaths from the pandemic on Saturday, for a total of 25,100 deaths confirmed by the virus. That is less than the numbers of more than 900 deaths a day a month ago. The total number of confirmed patients until Saturday was 216,582.
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The Associated Press journalists Renata Brito in Barcelona and Alicia León in Madrid contributed to this report.
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