Date Published: 21/04/2020
ARCHIVED - Disbelief and anger as walks for children become a trip to the supermarket
ARCHIVED ARTICLE The much- anticipated relaxation of the lockdown for children will cause huge controversy and undo much of the good work undertaken to date
As anticipated, on Tuesday afternoon the Spanish government approved a proposal to give some relief to beleagured parents and their offspring by relaxing lockdown restrictions for children.
From the 27th April children under the age of 14 would be permitted to accompany a parent whilst undertaking one of the permitted activities defined within the State of Emergency, such as shopping,
going to the bank or the pharmacy.
Minors aged 14 to 18 are permitted to leave their homes to buy bread or pick up medication, for example, unaccompanied.
Government spokeswoman María Jesús Montero, said that the government was conscious that the majority of young people had been confined to their homes since the lockdown first began and the probability that they were either contagious or could transmit the virus is “really low.”
The government will expect parents to control their children, complying "scrupulously" with the rules of hygiene and social distancing, and that this partial relief from confinement does not mean that containment measures are being relaxed.
The decision to allow minors to accompany one of their parents has been made following the recommendation of the experts and "weighing up the risks and potential benefit based on the current situation."
Announcement greeted with disbelief and anger
The announcement has been deeply disappointing for many parents who were hoping that they would be allowed to take their children for short walks or into public spaces and have expressed their disbelief and anger on social media.
Opposition politicians have also expressed their incredulity at the measures; PP leader Pablo Casado said “I have been asking for 10 days that children be allowed to go outside after being confined for a month, but not to go with their parents to crowded establishments at risk of contagion. I ask the Government, also as the father of two little ones, to rectify this order and allow them to take short walks in open areas”.
Many similar comments have been made by heads of regional governments and other political figures, one such comment being that from the President of the Andalucía Region, Juan Manuel Moreno, who said, “as a father I feel a little defrauded. It seems much more reasonable to allow children to enjoy the open air and open spaces.”
Other comments have been less contained, and frustrated parents have expressed their incomprehension at why they are not allowed to take their children for a walk in the park, yet are allowed to take them into supermarkets, pharmacies and food shops.
Many of the public are also less than delighted at the prospect of children running around and making shopping even more stressful than it currently is.
For some elderly expats, shopping under lockdown conditions has been extremely distressing and stressful as it is, every shopping trip planned like a military campaign involving queuing, applying masks and gloves, sanitising, disinfecting clothes and shopping, maintaining a respectful distance from other shoppers…….and the prospect of having children grizzling, touching things or running around is a less than attractive proposition.
After nearly six weeks of strict confinement, the disappointment about this announcement is likely to cause more upset than the prospect of lockdown in the first place and the government is likely to face mutinous anger from millions of parents who feel let down and frustrated after tense weeks trying to keep spirits up and entertain bored children who can’t understand why they are not allowed to go outside and play with their friends.