Spain in lockdown - Day 1 of ...

Today, following the announcement of the state of emergency on Saturday, the restrictions in movement came into force. Citizens are only allowed into the street to buy food and medicine, attend medical centres, go to and from work, travel to place of residence, to provide assistance to the vulnerable, visits to financial entities, and situations of force majeure. Oh, and two late additions are to walk the dog and go to the hairdressers ... yeah, me too.

Far fewer people and traffic than usual in the street. All shops apart from food, pharmacies and ... hairdressers ... are shut. To go into a supermarket you need to join a queue, especially long because everyone has to stand one metre apart. When one person leaves another is let in.

Things not looking good for Spain at the moment, particularly Madrid which has the highest concentration of Covid-19 sufferers. Here in Asturias it seems like only a few days ago that we had the first confirmed case. Now it's well into the hundreds.

At least some decisive action has been taken with the lockdown, the placing of all private hospitals at the disposal of the regional health service and all public spaces made available as necessary for the erection of temporary medical facilities.

Fingers crossed. Stay well everyone.