- Title: Slowly, cautiously - public pools open in Madrid
- Date: 1st July 2020
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (JULY 1, 2020) (REUTERS) SEVENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD COUPLE ANTONIO FERNANDEZ AND LOREN MENDOZA IN QUEUE AT THE VICENTE DEL BOSQUE SPORTS CENTRE POOL WEARING FACE MASKS AND LOREN GETTING QR CODE ON HER PHONE SCANNED BY ATTENDANT VARIOUS OF ANTONIO AND LOREN WEARING FACE MASKS ORGANISING THEIR BELONGINGS AND SETTING UP CHAIRS NEXT TO THE POOL ANTONIO GETTING INTO POOL ANTONIO SWIMMING ANTONIO GETTING OUT OF POOL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MADRID RESIDENT, ANTONIO FERNANDEZ, 77, SAYING: "The truth is I had a tremendous desire for a swim. The opening has come late, but it has come. It's good, it's positive. We thought the pool issue would be more difficult this year." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MADRID RESIDENT, LOREN MENDOZA, 77, SAYING: "I really, really wanted it, I love the water, the sea and the pool, so, of course, we have missed it. But fear? As my husband said, there is nothing of the sort here. I am afraid outside where people are not responsible." ANTONIO AND LOREN STANDING BY POOL (UPSOUND) (Spanish) ANTONIO FERNANDEZ SAYING: "It has hypochlorite, it's totally safe, the virus here has no life." (UPSOUND) (Spanish) LOREN MENDOZA SAYING: "And also there is space between us." (UPSOUND) (Spanish) ANTONIO FERNANDEZ SAYING: "There's distance." VARIOUS OF LIFEGUARDS SITTING ON POOLSIDE VARIOUS OF WOMAN SWIMMING IN POOL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MADRID RESIDENT TREADING WATER IN POOL, LOREN MENDOZA, SAYING: "After over two months stuck indoors the truth is you feel ... I don't know, it's not fearful, it's cautious." VIEW UNDERWATER OF LOREN SWIMMING MAN SWIMMING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SWIMMING MAN JUMPING INTO POOL VARIOUS OF MAN IN POOL PEOPLE ON POOLSIDE LOREN AND ANTONIO ORGANIZING THEIR BELONGINGS MAN AND WOMAN ON POOLSIDE SEEN THROUGH LIFE SAVER EMPTY POOL PEOPLE ARRIVING AT POOL QR CODE BEING SCANNED PEOPLE ARRIVING AT POOL SIGN WITH TWO METER SOCIAL DISTANCING RECOMMENDATION, SIGN READING IN SPANISH "ENTRANCE ONLY" AND SIGN WITH PICTURE OF FACE WITH FACE MASK PERSON STANDING NEXT TO MARKING ON GROUND READING "MAINTAIN A SAFE DISTANCE" MAXIMUM CAPACITY SIGN READING "2709 PEOPLE" VARIOUS OF BOARD WITH RESULTS OF WATER ANALYSIS SIGN READING IN SPANISH "SAFE SPORTS SPACE, IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS LIKE FEVER OR PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT AVOID SPORTS AND THE USE OF SPORTS CENTRES TO PREVENT POSSIBLE CONTAGION" PERSON DISINFECTING HAND WITH SANITIZER FROM DISPENSER AVAILABLE AT POOL
- Embargoed: 15th July 2020 11:45
- Keywords: COVID-19 Madrid Madrid public pools Spain coronavirus pools public pools summer swimming swimming pools open
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CKZBEBR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Public swimming pools in Madrid opened their doors on Wednesday (July 1) amid strict hygiene protocols and an online booking system aimed at restricting access to 50% capacity.
First in line were 77-year-old couple Antonio Fernandez and Loren Mendoza, keen to take their first dip of the summer.
Spain is one of Europe's worst hit countries by the coronavirus but it has brought the COVID-19 spread largely under control after one of the continent's strictest lockdowns which was lifted on June 21.
Excited to enjoy a swim and beat the heat after over two months of confinement, Loren said she was not fearful of coronavirus, but cautious.
Both Loren and Antonio agreed the measures at the pool were safe.
"It has hypochlorite, it's totally safe, the virus here has no life," he said, as Loren added there was enough distance between pool users.
Users seeking to beat the Spanish capital's sweltering heat, expected to hit 36C on Wednesday, will have to present the QR code on their pre-booked tickets at the entrance of the premises and must choose between two shifts: 10:00-14:30 (08:00-12:30 GMT) or 16:30-21:00 (14:30-19:00 GMT).
The two hour break between shifts will be used to clean the premises.
Madrid's city hall also recommends 1.5 metre social distancing in an out of the pool, frequent hand washing, showers before and after using the pool and face masks when entering and moving around the facilities, a local government press release said.
Spain has registered over 28,000 coronavirus-related deaths and nearly 250,000 confirmed cases.
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