Masks will be compulsory on public transport in Spain from Monday as the country moves to gradually relax its tough lockdown.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the government would distribute 6m masks, mainly at transport locations, and give another 7m to local authorities.

Adults in Spain were able to exercise outdoors on Saturday for the first time in seven weeks.

Advertisements

The lockdown was eased for children under 14 a week ago.

Lockdowns in other European countries are also being eased, though social distancing remains in force. Some countries require mask-wearing in shops and on public transport.

Italy has Europe’s highest death toll from coronavirus, closely followed by the UK and then Spain (though experts caution that countries do not record death figures in exactly the same way).

The UK’s figures show hundreds of people are still falling victim to Covid-19 every day – on Saturday the deaths of a further 621 people were announced.

Advertisements
Commuters wearing face masks sit on a train at the Atocha Station in Madrid on April 13, 2020 as some companies were set to resume operations at the end of a two-weeks halt of all non-essential activity amid a national lockdown to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. – The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has slowed in some of the worst-hit countries, with Spain readying to reopen parts of its economy as governments grapple with a once-in-a-century recession. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)

Both France and Italy recorded fewer than 200 deaths in a 24-hour period.

Italy announced another 474 deaths on Saturday, a larger number than in recent days, but according to La Repubblica that figure includes 282 deaths outside of hospitals in April which were not included in earlier figures.

HAVE YOU READ?:  PDP crisis: ‘I’m not born again Christian, I’ll blow heads off’ – Wike

Mr Sanchez said Spain was now reaping the rewards of the sacrifices made during the lockdown, one of Europe’s strictest.

He also said his government would approve a €16bn ($17.6bn; £14bn) fund to help regional authorities deal with the economic damage inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic.

In Madrid, residents voiced relief to be finally exercising outdoors. “Happy, we feel free!” Susana Piego told Reuters.

Advertisements

Jesus Gutierrez said “it’s basic, for physical and mental health, it is basic to allow people to do sport”.

Since 14 March people have only been allowed to leave the house to buy food or medicine, to go to work if working from home was not possible, or to briefly walk the dog.

There are now exercise slots for different age groups, and the amount of outdoor exercise time remains limited. Most adults can walk or play sports between 06:00 and 10:00, and between 20:00 and 23:00.

BBC