With so many opinions, interests and disinformation in the midst of this tidal wave, it is complicated to get a complete clear picture of what we are living throughout the world. That's why I'm curious about how this is lived and felt elsewhere.  Sooner or later, the first wave will pass, but what we decide to do meanwhile, and the results of our actions, will reflect the moral of our societies. I can easily understand mariella's point of view, as our countries are clearly running parallel paths, and the rest perhaps hope they won't be challenged so far. I am also concerned about the economic outcome of all this, but, honestly, it depends on the damage done. Evidence is slowly piling up, but who can tell what today's figures might seem in a month's time.

When so many voices and noises make it so difficult to see clearly , we should turn to the facts. The ones I can see:

1) This disease is new. Our bodies will learn to deal with it given enough time. Right now, we feel it does not behave like a normal flu because many more people need help to resist its infection at the same time, but....

2) We were not prepared to deal properly with something of this magnitude. In any way. The problem right now should be health,  although it is sure that  economy will also be damaged, in ways we cannot even imagine right now. We still don't know how long it will take to get back to our healthy normal lives - or how these will be.

3) Our medical systems may vary on how they are financed or designed, but any of them  would collapse if NO action were taken or delayed. The examples can be easily seen, painfully enough.  And that affects not only the patients suffering this particular illness, but drags all the rest - doctors and nurses infected are a serious problem if they go down at more or less the same time, like it's happening here. Thousands of operations and treatments which are not life- or-death are cancelled or postponed. All of this will affect many more people in the short / medium term, and we're talking about worse life conditions, which also has an outcome.

4) How this first wave of virus is striking determined parts of our society (our elderly) is also to be considered. Would our reactions be the same if the virus affected the same way young and old? What IS the price of a human life? Is there a balance of how many deaths can any country stand? And I think everyone agrees that poverty and economical depression will also take their toll of lives afterwards, but we can only deal with so much without any proper information, something that we have to admit we do NOT have right now.

5) The way this desease is affecting different countries not only has to do with luck, or good/quick decisions, but there are also strong social components. Not only the age and distribution of population, but also the social links of families and their habits can determine how it will spread, and how fast.   

I think these are the most important facts right now. What we still don't know is how the virus will affect every country; when I look through figures of others who are just beginning to take the curb upwards…. I just hope they are lucky enough to have made the right decisions at the right time. But who can tell, at this point today,  where each country's limits are?

And about economy, there will be enough time to talk over it when the time comes. No diagnosys is worth it if there is no certainty about how deep and wide is the damage. The feeling is that either all the parts within economy make a deal to advance at the same time, or everyone will get hurt.

Just one last thing.

My parents are 80. They live more or less nearby (abotu 50 miles from Madrid) but in a rather solitary residential area. They chose to isolate themselves 3 weeks ago. They are lucky because they are still reasonably healthy and independent.
But what we are going through is going to change us all, our relations, our economy, all in a very risky and unpredictable environment.
I just got a glimpse of that speaking to them today.
Even taking for granted they are going to be safe during the next weeks, thanks to their isolation... They were also concerned about time itself. Who can tell how long they, and the rest of people their age,  will have to keep isolated, even if most of us can retake our (normal) lives?  What real risk will elderly people go through in the short term, even if they manage to survive this first wave? And how can it also change our economies?

Too many questions. 2020 will be a year for History books, for sure.

Please take care of yourselves.

 

Nearly arriving to the second week of isolation.

Figures are starting to loose their meaning. We are steadily pacing towards the 1.000 daily deaths in some countries, something that is indescribable. Now, multiply it by the number of countries that will soon suffer the same. 

The unnamed heroes are desperately trying to stich our society, before it busts. Health services, caretakers,  police, army, transporters, cashiers and rest of shop & cleaning staff have been clapped at 8 o'clock sharp even before the shutdown, and now that it dawns that these people on the frontline are being exposed so heavily to the risk (doctors, nurses and policemen are not only widely infected, but  we are starting to know about some death cases already) our rulers keep trailing far behind and continue demonstrating that, indeed,  they have not learnt anything from the disastrous crisis back in 2008.

Without even glimpsing a reasonable end or outcome of this harsh reality, northern European countries are challenging some Southern ones about how to overcome the following economical crisis. More austerity for the poor. And unwittingly, further fertilizing the ground for the next wave of extremism, which will inevitably lead to the definite breakup of Europe, and worse things to come. Kudos for Portuguese primer minister speaking clearly

https://www.portugalresident.com/repugnant-pm-costa-launches-extraordinary-attac...


I doubt this will change until it is too late to avoid. Alas, it has happened before…. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_

Please take care of yourselves.

 

On our 19th day of isolation, lights and shadows glide in and out as information is received.

We are starting our hardest week regarding deaths, here in Spain, even though infections are starting to loose acceleration. For sure our toll will be highest in Europe just in a few days, projections aiming at 20.000 dead. Still looking at how Italy's doing, slowly starting its trip downhill. Trying to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

It seems that in Europe, we need right now over 1.000.000 field workers to pick our crops, which otherwise, will be wasted. Underpaid jobs that relied on immigrants working in harsh conditions. In the midst of all this rising and coming devastation of people loosing jobs, we have to look at ourselves, more than ever, in the mirror of globalization. Something I'm sure we all understand too well.

So, it is not only a problem in the production of masks, gloves and sanitizing products which were happily outsourced. The popes of liberalism have lured our societies into economical systems that do not only enlarge the difference between rich and poor, creating inequality. But we are also beginning to experience the practical consequences of its weakest points. True that we have not reached those same levels regarding food -yet. But that could also change if this situation turns to the worst. Which usually happens when the unforeseen or unexpected knocks at our door.

Is it time to learn our lessons?  Do we really want to?

Take care of yourselves, and try to nurture your sense of humor. It is, indeed, something that will be specially needy in the times to come.  

Fourth week of confinement nearly there. One day less to go.

Europe is trying to sort out how economy might be reactivated when they allow people to go out again. Making the same mistakes they already committed not taking seriously what was already happening in China, disdaining the quick action in the preventive measures that could have saved thousands and thousands of lives. After this first round of disease is through in Europe alone, it will exceed a hundred thousand victims. Today France has soared over 1.400 daily deaths, after a few days of hope. And where USA may end up is just unpredictable; in such a huge and diverse country, social habits and culture have SO much influence on the number of infected and deaths. 

I remember 9/11 back in 2001. I was on holiday at home, watching the 3:00 p.m. news after a nice lunch, opening live images of a light some on the first tower, saying that it seemed that  a light aircraft had crashed into it. A couple of minutes later I saw the second plane crashing - live. I instantly realised that it was no coincidence, and that it was only the beginning of another era. Many things changed, but most came back to normal after some time.

In 2004 here in Madrid, we were also struck by horror  3/11  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Madrid_train_bombings

I used to take the train to work then, to the train junction that was aimed by the attacks. I stayed at home, shocked by the fact that I could have witnessed it if I hadn't been late to work that day. I also remember the feeling next morning, when you could hear a pindrop in the empty wagons rinding into Madrid - only a few of us had had the courage (or whatever you may call it) to continue using rail to work. I could have used bus or my own car but I was not going to let that fear haunt me.

Now, all those past loses, pain and fear may seem pale compared with the daily drain of thousands we are experiencing.  Almost everywhere. Day after day until God knows when. And my fears on the train are nothing compared with the cold shivers that shake your spine when you find out people around are being detected positive. Yes, it may be fear for those lives, or the uncertainty of becoming one of them.

The worst part is that we should be getting ready for the aftermath, it will certainly be worse. Because there will not be any individual test to determine how it  has affected your future. And now more than ever, it has become extremely difficult to foresee how economy, that has become so intertwined, will react. There will be very few winners here. Perhaps articles like this one    https://eand.co/america-is-committing-economic-suicide-c7c1f7122169  might be frightening, but the disease has just given us a taste of the consequences of turning our backs on reality.

They would not listen, they're not listening still
Perhaps they never will (Don McLean)

Take care of yourselves.

Fifth week of shutdown. No clear future to be foreseen.

Everyone's waiting for figures to show a tiny glimpse of direction; but confusion is the only certainty ahead. Yes, deaths are still considerable; but  intensive care units are slowly emptying, and survivors weakly smile as they are sent out - there are still more than 7.000 seriously ill. People are allowed to go back to jobs not considered essential - if they are still running. Sunny weather absent here, which soothes a bit the urge of going outside, and it seems it will be more or less the same for the next ten days. I don't know how people will react to staying inside, watching outside a wonderful and sunny May.

It is useless talking about next steps right now - a change of tendency anywhere around the globe may fire alarms again. Can not be sure if we will, at least,  have learnt the very basics of this bitter lesson we are swallowing.

But as strict social distancing rules our lives, economy is severely strangled. How will people be able to trust past social behaviors? How can economy be fully activated without this powerful factor?

Testing and finding out up to what extent we have (or haven't) been in contact with the virus is deemed critical. It is the only way to rationally consider the limits and effects of risks we'll be forced to take sooner or later. There are silent battles going on, meanwhile. The most obvious, science against a part of nature. Yes, we are (nearly) sure mankind will prevail this wave. But others are fighting a silent war to get the better part of determining who and how to shape our future lives. It was already happening when disease struck us, and will be a magnificent catalyst or excuse to deploy all their powers in behalf of our safety.

Please take care of yourselves.

And on the 48th day... we were allowed to practice simple outdoor sports, at least for determined periods.
People have rushed to walk, trot or cycle. The first phase is not yet over, but its definitely closer.
Let's hope during the next few weeks time there will be no rising of figures. It would be dreadful to go back.
Should be enough time for the weather to warm up and improve moods, but still with caution.
Take care of yourselves.

82 days, the State of Emergency will linger till the 21st of June. 27.000 declared virus deaths, but figures are beginning to shed light on other aspects. There are 21.000 more (48.000) that exceed typical death average accounts measured since 2010, and that will be (just) part of the aftermath. Because this is far from over yet. Medical solutions are still far away; lockdown has merely dampened the first shock, and danger is lurking ahead in many a ways.
Meanwhile, in this small part of Europe, politicians want to get back to business as usual. And I'm not only mentioning  the economy side; they are barking at each one trying to protect their miserable crumbs, while the world's scars are bleeding. Mr. President is not the only one that thinks that polarizing society pays off. It is a sign of times almost anywhere, in different grades, of course. A bitter pill that is being stuffed throat deep and makes our lives worse in every aspect.
The world has already walked this winding road in the past century several times. Right now anyone can see how the logs are steadily piling up for a tremendous bonfire.
Please take care of yourselves, specially if you choose to stand up for our rights.