Seniors 70-and-Over Win Every-Day Exercise Privileges — but Not Yet in Medellin

Colombia’s Health Ministry announced July 17 that because of recent court decisions, people 70-and-over now legally enjoy two-hours-per-day outdoor exercise privileges – not just three times/week under the Covid-19 regulations, but rather every single day.

Problem: Medellin simultaneously is banning all outdoor exercise by all persons – not just seniors – until Sunday, July 26 in the downtown Candelaria area (barrio 10) and until Tuesday, July 21 in the rest of Medellin.

The ban on outdoor exercise by all persons is just part of the new “orange alert” order here aiming to stifle a potentially overwhelming surge of Covid-19 cases in the next few weeks throughout Valle de Aburra.

While banning outdoor exercise, Medellin’s “Inder” sports-and-exercise promotion agency instead is now sponsoring Facebook Live exercise sessions so that people can enjoy supervised, coordinated exercise programs in the relative safety of their homes.

Meanwhile — aside from Medellin — the Colombian Health Ministry announced that “adults over 70 years of age . . . can develop physical activities, exercise outdoors and play sports individually for a maximum period of two hours a day, every day” — or at least until a higher court eventually rules on the national government’s appeal, aiming to overturn the lower-court ruling.

People 70-and-older total only 7% of all Covid-19 cases, but they account for 50% of all Covid-19 deaths in Colombia and have a 40% chance of dying from the disease — far greater than any other age group, Health Ministry statistics show. That’s why the national government has tried to impose tougher Covid-19 regulatory provisions on seniors venturing outdoors, where the chances of dangerous exposures to infected people are much greater.