Tough rules reign in Spain

 Lockdown law strictly enforced across country  €30k fine or jail for those who break curfew

- JASON O'TOOLE

MADRID is eerily like a ghost town since being put on a near-total lockdown nine days ago.

But the deafening silence has been broken every night as Madrilenos – as locals are called – take to their balconies at 8pm to applaud the doctors and nurses on the front lines saving lives.

It provides only light relief for Spain’s 47 million population who are only allowed to leave home for work, to buy food or visit the pharmacy.

There are some exceptions such as walking your dog, but nobody is permitted to bring passengers in their car or go shopping in pairs unless it’s a single parent with a child.

Yet still the death toll rises with one person dying every 16 minutes in Madrid. I haven’t left home in 10 days and it’s starting to feel like house arrest.

Police drones fly over and officers are on the ground to enforce the lockdown with fines of up to €30,000 and/or even prison for those who ignore the law.