King Felipe and Queen Letizia have been in lockdown, like everybody else in Spain. Spain’s stay-at-home orders were some of the strictest in Europe, and I saw a thing about how the Spanish government wouldn’t even allow children to go outside whatsoever during the lockdown. No walks, no playgrounds, no fresh air (well, only if the family has a balcony or backyard, which few people have). The only people outside are the one walking their dogs in Spain. That just got lifted this week – children are finally getting to play outside.
After about six weeks of strict lockdown, some of the other restrictions are being loosened at a glacial pace, which is how it should be in a pandemic. Spain’s strict lockdown “worked” in the sense that they really did flatten the curve and everybody did what they were supposed to do. Does it follow that everything needs to go back to pre-pandemic style? Of course not. That’s what I’m getting from these photos too – Letizia and Felipe had been locked down in one of their palaces, only conducting meetings by phone or video-conference for weeks. But they finally did an actual, real, physical “event” yesterday in Madrid. They visited some emergency facilities and made sure to be photographed wearing gloves and masks. They also practiced social distancing. That’s how it should be – the curve only stays flat if we still take these precautions and things only open up gradually.
A few notes and questions… is it just me or do both Felipe and Letizia’s masks look slightly too big? It annoys me when a mask isn’t flush to the face – I feel like the germs and viruses are clever enough to sneak through the side door, you know? That being said, I’m jealous of those cool looking black gloves. I went to the grocery store over the weekend, and I obviously wore a mask (one made for me by CB’s mom!!), but I’ve become HYPER-aware of what I’m touching with my bare hands while I’m out. I’m not saying I’m going to start wearing gloves everywhere, but I definitely don’t judge the people who are wearing gloves. Last thing: it’s the Seven Week Itch, right? Most Western countries have been in lockdown for about seven weeks and we’re all getting itchy to go outside and have things “go back to normal.”
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Yes, there’s definitely a 7 week itch. Everyone I know here is just, well, over it. And that includes me. I’m still following the guidelines, I haven’t left the house besides walks in weeks, I should probably start my car to make sure it still works lol, but man. I want to go….somewhere. That said…i’m really annoyed at the people who are also “over it” so are just now ignoring the guidelines and going over other people’s houses, going out for non-essentials just to “get out,” etc. That’s not going to make this end faster people!
Anyway, rant over….good for Letizia and Felipe for setting an example. I hope Spain’s rate continues to flatten/decrease.
My town (Huntington Beach) was so crowded with out-of-towners this weekend that the governor is likely going to prolong the stay-at-home order until our town (and others like it — looking at you Ventura and Newport Beach) can get a handle on the beaches and downtown area. We were barraged with photos of crowded beaches and downtown, yet our police and firefighters didn’t do anything about it. The fire department even went so far as to release a statement on Facebook thanking everyone for maintaining the appropriate physical distance, even when photos clearly showed closer proximity. It is a town issue, and what the town chooses to enforce, or not. God help us if California stays longer in lockdown because of these yahoos. It’s the high school kid who won’t shut up so the entire class has to stay longer…
I’ve taken my car out about once a week to pick up prescriptions at the pharmacy, go to the vet, etc. It’s super weird to not be driving. I kind of feel like when I was in college and didn’t have a car and then have to drive again. I vaguely remember how to do this? Nice not having to spend money on gas though. I filled up right before the lockdown and I think I’m only down a notch or two on the indicator.
These two—they even look good wearing masks.
I was thinking the same thing!
And they always look like a team whenever they do engagements together. Very lovely couple.
Sorry I’m going to have to rant but I’m so over people wearing gloves. Because people are morons and think just because they’re wearing gloves you don’t need to follow basic hygiene rules. No! Wearing gloves you have to behave the same way as if you touched it with your bare hand. There is no point in wearing gloves while touching your phone or scratching your face. The moment you put them on, they become dirty and covered in germs. A proper glove hygiene is almost impossible to maintain in every day circumstances and your better of cleaning your hands, preferably with soap and water but if necessary when out and about with disinfectant. Not saying you’d be one of the glove wearing morons, Kaiser, but I’m so over people thinking gloves have magic anti viral properties and not using their effing brains.
So nice of you to assume that everyone that wears gloves is an idiot or, as you say, “a glove wearing moron.” F*ck you.
@Mary, +100
This is absolute BS. I work in a nuclear medicine pharma manufacturing plant (before lock-down) and wearing gloves (and other ppe) has always been mandatory, the glove-wearers behave nothing like @M describes.
Lizzie, if you’re seriously comparing the behaviour of trained professionals in a lab or hospital setting with the behaviour of the average Joe who decided last week he wants to wear gloves in a grocery store because he saw someone else do it, you seriously misunderstood in which context I wrote my rant. I’m by no means advocating people like say nurses shouldn’t wear gloves or ppe doing their job, but putting on gloves to do your shopping is not going to help. In professional settings people are actually taught how to safely use ppe like gloves as to avoid cross contamination. Pay attention in the supermarket how people wearing gloves behave. They’re permanently fiddling with them, touching their phones (or worse answering the phone), their credit card, their car keys. Then they get home and touch those things with their bare hands. I bet people in your manufacturing plant are taught not zo do that, heck they probably don’t even have that stuff on them.
@Mary I freely admit that in my haste to type I omitted the word most. Otherwise I stand by what I said
I am wearing gloves out of necessity. I was just released from house quarantine and my Dr will only allow me to go to the store/pharmacy if I am masked and gloved. I am no longer running a fever but my lungs are not fully recovered. I am so beyond careful in public it’s crazy.
I just don’t want anyone to catch what I had. My hands are hopelessly chapped from all the hand washing but guess what? It’s hot so my hands are sweaty. I’ll be over here following my doctor’s orders to a T, thank you.
I’m sorry you felt personally attacked, it didn’t occur to me I would have to add a disclaimer saying does not apply when personally advised by a medical professional. That’s just common sense. I hope your doctor took the time to show to you how to safely remove gloves and mask to avoid contamination. Otherwise there are some great resources for example by the WHO.
I wish you a speedy and full recovery
I agree. Most people in day-to-day situations are better off just washing their hands and not touching their face or random things but hey, people still quarantine their shopping so there’s not use in telling them about how to use gloves correctly. Most don’t even wear masks correctly.
The King of Spain is the best looking, most dashing man in Europe, imo.
I have an infant (hes perfect 👶🏼😻🥰) and I’m weary of the grand “reopening” of America. They still can’t tell us definitely how the virus is transferred. The effects/symptoms on the infected very wildly. They Still don’t know how it effects infants (who have no immune systems). Too many unknowns for me!! Such a nightmare all the way around: crumbing economy, too many unknowns about the virus, etc etc etc
We’re alll desperately to go out. To go somewhere! When lockdown first started nobody in my house wanted to even go grocery shopping. It was like the hunger games, where we raffled or we decided for a tribute to go into the world.
Now we’re on week 6! And basically we fight over who is going to get the groceries. Everybody wants to go now. And they’re like “it’s my turn this week” “you went shopping last week, let ME go!” And so on.
it’s been 7 weeks in Argentina, too. I’ve only left my apartment 4 times to go get food. Every time I’ve left I’ve felt so unprotected I just want to go back inside. I wonder what the psychological effects will be like once this is really over.
I know! Each time I’ve been out and seen other people, I have a knee-jerk reaction to shriek and run away. Maybe that’s because I live by myself though, so I’m becoming less and less used to being around others. It’s a problem!
Way to do it! Leaders are out there serving their nation! Good examples.
They are🤩🤩🤩bravo to the King and Queen on following the guidelines and staying away when other people like the cambridges were using the pandemic as for PR whilst overburdening an already overwhelmed emergency call centre. The Spanish government announced that they will be lessening restrictions after the reduction in new cases. Meanwhile in the UK people are still disobeying the law and not taking it seriously. This is all because of the shambolic actions by the tories who have encouraged people to carry on when others were enforcing lockdowns😡
I have to go out to check on my elderly parents once or twice a week. It’s usually having them come to the door and chat with them in the doorway and us in the car.
I have not hugged them in almost 7 weeks and I can’t wait to do so!!!
The two of them are sheltering alone so it’s a treat for them to see their great grandchildren once a week, even from a distance. They don’t do video chats so this is what we do.
Today, we brought them a bite to eat and went back home.
I am grateful for a swing set and space in the yard for the kids to run and play as weather permits. Looking to order flowers online to brighten the patio and backyard. The shelter in place is difficult but the loss of friends and family has been heart wrenching.
I am masked when I go out but I come home and scrub my hands and face furiously. I am cautious but paranoid as well. I don’t understand how people ate not taking this pandemic seriously..
That’s how surgical masks fit everyone. They’re not meant to fully conform to the face – or to be respirators. They’re meant to have more protective function than a homemade fabric mask, good enough to protect oneself and others while continuing to use appropriate social distance. For serious protection, when you are exposed to known infected people, under situations where you cannot maintain social distance, you need the N95 mask, which does conform to your face in a much better manner. According to the doctor who spoke to us yesterday, if you must be up close and personal with an infected person, you should wear a plastic face shield in addition to the N95 mask. He also recommended surgical masks over fabric masks, as they have some fluid-repelling qualities that make them better at preventing transmission of the virus. But a fabric mask is better than no mask!