Volunteers try to cheer up residents in town outside Madrid

For the last few weeks at 8 o'clock every Friday, volunteers chose a new spot for some lively antics. The caravan of Civil Protection vehicles then goes around to all the youngsters who have had a birthday in the previous week.

Madrid: Spaniards have been in lockdown, confined to their residences for over a month and unsurprisingly spirits are beginning to flag.

But the upbeat volunteers of Spanish Civil Protection are doing their best to cheer up the residents of a small town just outside Madrid.

Civil Protection volunteers Carmen and Alvaro suggested to Grinon town hall that with some pumping music and an almost choreographed dance they could spread some positivity to cabin-fevered residents. The pair also realised that lots of children were celebrating birthdays in isolation.

For the last few weeks at 8 o'clock every Friday, they chose a new spot for some lively antics. The caravan of Civil Protection vehicles then goes around to all the youngsters who have had a birthday in the previous week.

Each child is given a special birthday certificate, a dedicated birthday song and a warm round of applause from neighbors.

Spain has recorded 1,88,167 coronavirus cases and 19,631 death, according to a running tally kept by John Hopkins University.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness including pneumonia and death.

(With inputs from AP)