The daily death toll from coronavirus in Spain has reached its lowest point in six weeks, as citizens start adjusting to the beginning of a lockdown rollback.
Yesterday, health chiefs reported 164 new confirmed deaths from Covid-19, leading to a total figure of 25,428 to date.
The numbers came as a respite following seven weeks of life under a strict lockdown across the country, which was partly eased yesterday.
Officials began the first of a four-phase rollback of the restrictions, which is expected to take around two months.
Spain’s lockdown started on March 14, allowing only adults to leave their homes to shop for food, medicine and other essentials.
They were also permitted to walk dogs close to home.
Over the weekend, these restrictions were relaxed, with people of all ages able to run, walk or ride bicycles outside for the first time in many weeks.
In Barcelona, many flocked to the maritime promenade to get as close as possible to the still-off-limits beach.
The government has set up time slots for age groups and activities, and social-distancing measures are still in place.
Yesterday the lockdown was rolled back further, with people able to venture outside for haircuts, to buy glasses or order food takeaways – all activities which are now permitted on the condition of a pre-existing appointment.
Many small shops were still closed, as business owners worked on preparing to meet the strict health and hygiene guidelines that the government only published on Sunday.
Face masks are now mandatory on public transport and the government is distributing 14 million of them at major transportation hubs.
The strict measures have been credited with reducing the daily rate of infections from 20% to less than 1%, allowing officials to begin easing them.
Last week a huge field hospital set up by the military at a convention centre in Madrid was closed.
A makeshift mortuary established within a shopping centre ice rink in the city was also shut, due to no longer being required.
The Spanish government’s rollback plan will vary from province to province.
The areas with the fewest cases and with health care resources in place to handle a rebound of the virus will be the first to enjoy a further loosening of the measures.
As citizens begin to experience aspects of pre-lockdown life, high-level talks have been taking place to plan for the future.
The country’s national football federation, the RFER, said it shares the desire of 2020 Copa del Rey finalists Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad to delay the competition’s final match until such a time as it can be safely played in front of a crowd.
The RFEF said it would look at an “appropriate time” for the fixture to be played either later this year or in 2021.