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The first extension to Spain's state of alarm due to the coronavirus crisis has an expiry date: 11th April at midnight. But the Pedro Sánchez government is already working on a second extension, and a final decision is now expected to be announced this Saturday. The clear scenario that the health authorities are working with is that lockdown must continue, to avoid risks. However, they also consider that it could be made a little more flexible, allowing for activities that have been vetoed by the present decree, such as allowing exercise activities outside or taking children out for a walk. Introducing the generalised use of masks is also contemplated.

At a press conference this Friday in the Spanish government's Moncloa palace, the health emergency director Fernando Simón - appearing by video link due to his own positive test for the virus - warned that "some of the measures will need to be continued for further weeks" if deemed necessary. However he acknowledged that there could be a change with respect to current criteria and an evaluation of whether "lockdown could be relaxed in certain points". Yesterday, health minister Illa gave the example of taking children outside or taking exercise sport in the open air. Simón, for his part, raised the option of widespread mask usage in today's press conference.

"From here onwards, there are several alternatives we can look at: keeping this same line or ensuring sure that, even if social contacts are not reduced so much, we change the way that we do things," said Simon. He gave the example of masks, in terms of them being able to reach large numbers, "learning from societies like Japanese." He also talked about avoiding risky contacts.

The health emergencies centre director emphasized that this is a political decision, which is not in his hands, but that it is necessary to avoid a renewed outbreak of transmission which has been contained for the moment. "There is a risk that if we do not continue with the measures for as long as they are needed, we may go backwards," he warned.

 

The possibility of the Spanish government opting for a further extension has been on the table for days, and Pedro Sánchez is likely to decide it this weekend. On Friday afternoon, health minister Salvador Illa announced that the prime minister is due to meet with the scientific and technical committees on coronavirus tomorrow, and afterwards "he will call all the leaders to announce the decision he has taken", taking into account the criteria of the health authorities and the trends of the pandemic in Spain. This new extension would have to be approved by the cabinet and voted on by Spain's lower house, the Congress of Deputies, next week.