Some recreation restrictions ease in Spain, Germany. Italy to follow suit.


For the first time in seven weeks, Spanish adults can enjoy some fresh air beyond their brief walks to the grocery store.
Coronavirus restrictions continued to ease Saturday in some European countries, including Spain, one of the world's hardest-hit nations. Adults were allowed outside to exercise for the first time in seven weeks, prompting runners and cyclists to hit the pavement, though social distancing guidelines remain in place. There are designated time slots for activity between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Spain has had more than 213,000 cases of COVID-19 with 24,543 deaths, but the rate of new infections and fatalities has slowed significantly during the lockdown. In another sign that things are improving, a field hospital set up by the military at a convention center in Madrid was closed, as was a makeshift morgue established at an ice rink in the capital, which experienced the worst of Spain's struggles.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Elsewhere in Western Europe, museums, zoos, and playgrounds were permitted to open for the first time in several weeks in Germany, which has a high amount of cases but a relatively low death rate.
Italy will begin gradually loosening some restrictions Monday. The governments in Madrid, Rome, and Berlin, have all acknowledged people must remain vigilant and that the virus' resurgence remains possible. Read more at The Associated Press and BBC.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures A playful game, a hot step, and more
By The Week US
-
Fonab Castle: a regal stay in the Scottish Highlands
The Week Recommends Prepare for the royal treatment in Pitlochry
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Today's political cartoons - April 25, 2025
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - online expertise, eternal promises, and more
By The Week US
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans