The astonishment at the Spanish government's initial announcement yesterday that children would be allowed to go shopping with families was not only felt among the general public. The decision at midday yesterday, later corrected, also caused a major stir in the government's own offices. Hence the subsequent rectification, five hours later, specifying that children would be allowed to go for a walk, rather than to accompany adults on shopping and other errands. Today, the head of the Spanish government's expert committee for the management of the coronavirus crisis acknowledged that "it would not make sense for supermarkets to become overcrowded again".
During the daily press conference, at which doctor Fernando Simón appeared on behalf of the health ministry's scientific team, an avalanche of questions rained down on the epidemiologist about his team's views on the idea for children under 14 to be allowed to go shopping from this Sunday. Simón tried to tiptoe around making criticism of the government he represents, but made it clear that it would be better for families to avoid such trips.
"It is true that in the supermarket there is greater proximity to others than if a family goes alone for a walk on the street," said Simón, calling on the Spanish public to "be careful". He also noted that “if they can go for walks alone, maybe people can avoid taking them to the supermarket”. However, he moderated this by adding that if the correct measures of maintaining sufficient distance were kept up, it would not involve "excessive risk".
In any case, Simón emphasized that "a family that lives together faces the same risk of transmission at home as in any other place where they are alone together", that is, that "going for a walk alone is not risky as long as they don't combine or meet with another family". However, he did not clarify whether the order issued by the Spanish ministry will authorize family or household units to leave the house together or whether each adult will only be able to leave with one child. The discussion on the details of the lifting of lockdown for children, he said, began yesterday and will continue for a few days. Until the weekend, the health minister does not plan to announce the small print.
Teenagers from 14-18 and individual responsibility
On what happens to those aged between 14 and 18, the health emergency team leader defended that "they are already able to go outside to do necessary activities such as shopping, pharmacy, going to buy bread or walking the dog".
With the steps to ease mobility restrictions now on the horizon, Simón called for prudence and appealed directly to the "individual responsibility of each citizen" to prevent further outbreaks of the epidemic as lockdown conditions begin to be relaxed.