I’ve moved the coronavirus blog! Check out the new posts here.
And then, just as quickly as they had appeared, the masks vanished. Because the situation in Spain has improved, certain restrictions that have been in place are slowly being lifted. As of today, for example, children under 14 can go outside with a parent or guardian from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. If the favorable data trends continue—i.e., if the infection rates continue declining along with the COVID-19 related deaths—then adults will also be able to exercise or go for walks outside.
Read MoreIn the days of the coronavirus, I’ve been reflecting more and more on how I’ve been reacting in times of crisis. Namely, though I promised I’d never turn out like them, I have inherited the same anxieties and the same precautionary nature from my parents.
There’s always a what if on the other side of the issue. I could probably go outside for a little bit, but what if I have the bad luck of running across someone who’s sick? About a week ago I really wanted to order takeout, but what if the cook or delivery guy had coughed over our food? My car’s been sitting in the garage for a month and I should move it, but what if it’s just boiling with coronavirus, eager to jump into my body?
Read MoreAs I mentioned in previous posts, I’ve pretty much stopped watching the news. I keep up to date with the latest restrictions and statistics for informational purposes, but I really do my best to not fall down a vortex of panicked research. (Will it kill me? What do you mean a baby died of COVID-19? Elderly being found dead in their beds all over Spain?) I don’t mean that I do this out of willing ignorance (like the proverbial ostrich burying its head) but instead prefer to focus on things that are in my control. Otherwise, I feel the crushing sense of anxiety over me, like nothing I’d ever felt before.
Read MoreToday marks a dozen days of desolate streets. This coming Friday will mark two weeks since things accelerated very quickly all over Spain due to the coronavirus pandemic. We’ve spent 95% of that time indoors, adhering to the strict regulations in place during the government-enforced lockdown. And though the state of emergency is due to expire on April 11, and the confinement is due to end on April 13, the feeling among most folks is that it will most likely be extended until the end of April. Spain, which has as of today surpassed China in terms of the death toll, has an astounding 47,610 cases of coronavirus, of which 9,937 are in Catalonia.
Read MoreThe urge to ration, the scarcity of some basic supplies, being obligated to comply with the state-mandated lockdown orders: I have been forced to adjust to the very abrupt changes that have happened over the last few weeks, and while it has not been easy, I’ve been doing my best to stay positive, to keep my wits about me, to not fall down a vortex of panic. I suspect some of you reading this are experiencing the same thing, or will be soon, anyway.
Read MoreIt’s hard not to let so much bad news get to you. It was raining today, and I watched the headlines while my coffee finished brewing. More deaths, more infections; fewer jobs, less confidence that the economic and healthcare systems will hold. The rain lashed against the window; the wind beat against the cold glass and howled under the front door. The weather turned even darker in time with the terrible news. The smell of brewing coffee began to fill the flat, and after I’d poured myself a huge mug (I love coffee), I made the best decision I’ve made all day: I switched (and kept) the television off.
Read MoreBesides the scarcity of basic goods, the perpetual grim news, and the seemingly inevitable onslaught of worries and anxieties, I will always remember this period in our history because of how our lives and perspective changed overnight. Two weeks ago a trip to the grocery store was just a hassle; today it is a calculated risk. Long, loud dinners with friends, the kind where so many of you crowd around the table that you’re constantly bumping elbows and feet, were a given highlight of nearly every weekend; now we bid each other goodnight over computer screens, unsure when we’ll embrace one another again.
Read MoreToday started out rough. Perhaps it was the sunshine streaming in through my living room windows on today, the first full day of spring. Or the news that California had also ordered its citizens to stay at home, sparking another silent shower of worries inside of me. Was it the news coming from Bergamo in Northern Italy, where the cemeteries have run out of room for the dead, and where even funerals are forbidden? (And even when exceptions are made, the attendees are not allowed to embrace one another.) Moreover, footage was released of 15 military trucks transporting coffins with coronavirus victims directly to the crematorium. These, I am certain, are all things that will always be with me, and that I shall always remember the dark winter of 2020.
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