Spanish gov't eases coronavirus lockdown rules for children

The Spanish government on Tuesday spelled out the conditions under which children will be able to escape the lockdowns in their homes after April 27.

At a press conference held after Tuesday's weekly cabinet meeting, government spokesperson Maria Jesus Montero said that the cabinet had approved Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's request to extend the current "state of alarm" in Spain, which began on March 15, for a further 15 days, up to and including May 9 to try and stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The proposal will be debated in Parliament on Wednesday and one of the new conditions of the extended "state of alarm" will allow children under age 14 to go outside for short periods of time.

However, this "relief" for children will be strictly limited, as Montero explained that they will only be able to leave their residency if accompanied by an adult in order to carry out tasks already permitted by the conditions of the "state of alarm," such as "going to the supermarket, pharmacy or a financial institution."

Montero said that the adult accompanying the child does not have to be a family member, it needs to be someone who is usually in contact with them.

"The idea is to not break the chain of infection. If it is a person who spends time with a minor, then there is no risk of transmission. However, if it is a person who doesn't spend time with the child, we have to avoid that," she said.

Children will also have to follow all hygiene measures, with Montero warning that "it is the responsibility of adults" to ensure rules such as social distancing are adhered to.

She also hinted that the conditions of the "state of alarm" could be relaxed in some parts of the country depending on the spread of the coronavirus.

"With the necessary caution we can say that the progress of the pandemic in medical terms allows us to harbor a ray of hope. Every day we achieve a little bit more to stop the spread of the virus" she said.

According to the health ministry, Spain has registered 21,282 deaths from 204,179 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Tuesday.

A "state of alarm" is the first of three emergency levels a Spanish government can apply under exceptional circumstances, with the others being 'State of Exception' and 'Martial Law'.

A "state of alarm" grants the government special powers to limit the movement of citizens, to control the means of production and use private assets if needed and also to use the military to carry out essential logistical and supply jobs.