Covid-19 is an indoor, aerosol-transmitted virus. Yet that message has not got through to enough local councils, many of whom are refusing to hand out permits for Parkrun events to resume in their areas.
Nationally, only 250 of 729 5km events have been approved. In the capital, just three of 56 given the green light, with many local authorities wanting to wait until June 21.
Parkrun, with its three million registered UK participants and 350,000 weekly runners and walkers, has become one of the most effective public health innovations of recent decades.
As we report today, the Communities and Culture secretaries have written an open letter rightly noting that exercise is “vital” for physical and mental health, and confirming that Parkrun events are legally allowed to go ahead.
In his interview, the Culture Secretary disclosed that just 15 cases of Covid emerged among 58,000 people who took part in events ranging from the Brits to the FA Cup final.
After more than a year of perfecting the couch potato lifestyle and stress eating mid-Zoom call, events such as Parkrun are exactly the sort of activities councils should be encouraging, not preventing.
Organisers need to get their running shoes on and sort it out.
