Coronavirus Free our children from lockdown, says Barcelona mayor

THE Mayor of Barcelona and Save the Children España are among the increasing amount of high profile people and groups calling for an easing of the highly restrictive guidelines regarding children during the current confinement. "These children need to get out" mother of two mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau wrote on Facebook."Wait no more: Free our children!" she continued which has become the rallying call for supporters of the movement. Here in Spain under the lockdown rules children are effectively banned from leaving the house with a handful of exceptions such as single parent families who need to go out for essentials. These are the strictest rules across Europe regarding the under 18s and there are concerns about the effects on kid’s psychological health. In countries such as Denmark schools and kindergartens have already re-opened. Ms Colau said her children, aged three and nine, were showing increasing signs of aggression, depression and anger and she was becoming worried for their mental and physical health. She points out that adults are allowed to leave the house to walk their dogs or buy cigarettes, but most kids have now been housebound for over a month. Save the Children has called for children to be allowed out for an hour each day, respecting social distancing and close to their home. Even in badly hit countries such as Italy children are allowed out, providing they are accompanied by an adult they are isolating with.