Posts tagged coronavirus
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Days 46-51: April 27-May 2, 2020
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Days 46-51: April 27-May 2, 2020

Yesterday marked fifty days—seven weeks—since the state of emergency was declared in Spain officially on March 14. We are still technically under the government-enforced lockdown (which is scheduled to be in force until May 9), though given the improving situation in Spain, certain restrictions have been lifted.

As of today, for example, some outdoor activity is allowed. From 6-10 a.m. and from 8:00 – 11:00 p.m., adults under 70 may exercise on an individually or go for walks no more than 1 kilometer (a little more than half a mile) from their homes. Those over 70 are allowed the same privileges from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Same distance limits apply. Kids 14 and under (in groups of three maximum) can be outside with a parent or guardian from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A chart has been going around on WhatsApp in Spain to summarize this for us:

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracoronavirus, pandemic, covid-19, cerda, society, restrictions, children, senior citizens, adults, lockdown, post lockdownComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Days 38-46
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Days 38-46

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 More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabrerabirthdays, cerdanyola, coronavirus, covid-19, catalonia, second wave, lockdown, restrictions, easing, relaxing, children, irresponsible, pandemicComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 37
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 37

For me, rain is an invitation for reflection, contemplation, to travel into the past. This is perhaps more common in the days of the coronavirus pandemic. The water has been falling continuously since early this morning, collecting in puddles in the empty streets and hammering the asphalt in slanted sheets. A cool wind sometimes picks up, slithering its way under doors and lashing the rain against the glass. The storm woke me up before dawn this morning, pelting away at the concrete as it filtered its way through the lightwell. I listened to it fall against the background of Franky’s even breaths. The entire world seemed to be asleep, except for me.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracoronavirus, covid-19, pere lachaise, oscar wilde, cemeteries, tombstones, rain, rainy days, family, mothers, paris, france, dorian grayComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Days 33-36
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Days 33-36

In 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 More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracoronavirus, covid-19, cerdanyola, coping, pandemic, financial stress, money, work, unemployment, worry, anxiety, fear, lockdownComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 32
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 32

I ran across this article by Josep Corbera in La Vanguardia which helped ease my fears. The title is “Perder el miedo al coronavirus,” or “Overcoming Your Fear of the Coronavirus.” I found it to be a balanced article which offers a healthy perspective to view the current pandemic, as well as to prepare ourselves for the months to come once the lockdown has been lifted. He talks about how our collective understanding of the virus must change as the pandemic progresses and offers a helpful glimpse at the summer. For those of you living in countries where the pandemic is in full swing, I highly recommend reading it. I’ve translated it fully for you below, and hope you find it as reassuring as I did.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreratranslation, la vanguardia, post lockdown, coronavirus, covid-19, pandemic, spanish republic, rajoyComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 31
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 31

Despite some stern warnings from the scientific community—and the fact that as of today there have been nearly 170,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus (nearly 65,000 of whom have recovered)—workers in Spain deemed “nonessential” can return to their jobs starting today.

As is the case in a lot of countries, though, we are having trouble receiving a unified, consistent message. In the space of three days, we’ve received conflicting news: first, that the complete confinement would last until mid-May at the least; then, that “some” workers would be allowed to return to work; yesterday, the government seemed to suggest that folks should instead remain at home. Today, workers whose jobs are deemed non-essential—the list is long and includes everything from hairstylists, smoke shops, construction work and gas stations—returned to their jobs today.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabrerapolice, children, cheer, confusing information, conflicts, government, covid-19, coronavirusComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 29
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 29

As Évole writes, the fact that many people who die from the coronavirus do so alone and without a familiar face is indeed the “cruelest face of this pandemic.” People die alone, and funerals are postponed indefinitely. This, of course, does not mean that grief can be stopped.

Unfortunately, we are not exempt from this sobering reality. Because of the 16,353 people that have died in Spain as of today from the coronavirus, we knew one of them personally: his name was Ramón.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracorona, coronavirus, covid-19, coping, death, eulogy, ramón, illness, old ageComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 28
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 28

Nearly every memory I have of church involves attending Mass with my mother. While my father and siblings slept in on Sunday mornings—he still rose at dawn to work at the mechanic shop downtown; my younger brother and sister still shared a bed—my mother would wake me up bright and early to go to St. Elizabeth’s. I was ten or perhaps eleven, and while most kids that age would have complained about having to wake up at 7:00 to go to church, I actually looked forward to going. Like most other Latino kids my age, religion was important in my household: God wasn’t an abstract concept to us; God was instead a very real presence capable of unimaginable blessings or of completely upending our lives.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracoronavirus, covid-19, faith, religion, catholicism, literature, oscar wildeComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Days 24-27
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Days 24-27

We will also most likely be under lockdown through the end of the month, though it seems that there is some disagreement between the central government and the Catalan parliament. The central government is planning on lifting some of the restrictions on Monday: namely, they want to let workers considered non-essential to get back to work. The Catalan government, meanwhile, wants to extend the full lockdown until at least the end of the month. The central government in Madrid has the ultimate word, though, and the regional parliament has decided to provide all Catalan citizens with up to two free face masks for its 7.5 million residents.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracoronavirus, covid-19, self-care, relax, mothers, stye, blessings Comment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 22
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 22

We stumbled in the darkness for about three weeks, but it looks like we’re taking the first painful steps toward recovery. Part of this return to normalcy involves the gradual reopening of society once the pandemic has fallen under our control. This has understandably been at the forefront of many of us who have been on strict lockdown for three weeks now. Everyone is wondering how much longer we’ll be confined and what opening things back up will look like. You’re probably wondering the same thing, wherever you might be reading this from.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracoronavirus, covid-19, lockdown, catalunyaComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 21
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 21

Three weeks in, and we’re pretty much used to being indoors. It’s been raining pretty much all week (this afternoon the sun has decided to make a brief appearance), so I haven’t been exactly dying to get outside either. But there are times like this morning when, facing a stressful situation at work, I would have picked up my laptop and headed to one of the local terraces in my neighborhood. I would have ordered a beer, followed by lunch, and listen to the birds chirping and the soft buzz of traffic as I worked.

So, instead, I had to muster up the strength for the millionth time since the lockdown came into effect and find a way to calm down and destress from a situation that would seem banal any other day. I wrapped up my work and opened several books to search for poems that would bring me comfort and transport me to another place, even if only temporarily.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabrerahope, coronavirus, covid-19, poetry, literatureComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 20
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 20

Life, in most cases, will test all of your relationships sooner or later. Marriages, friendships, perhaps even familial ties – these will all be subject to the trials and tribulations that seemingly go hand in hand with our very existence. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, problems with a spouse/partner, unexpected difficulties, or one of the many financial woes that one can fall victim to, it seems quite probable that you will one day see the true mettle of your relationships. Nearly three weeks into our government-enforced lockdown in Spain (and who knows how many weeks we have left), I’ve been thinking about how my relationship with my husband has shifted and evolved since the coronavirus pandemic interrupted our lives.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreramarriage, coping, support, silver lining, coronavirus, covid-19, pandemic, catalunyaComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 19
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 19

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic broke out in Catalonia, I’ve become fascinated with what influenza pandemic was like in 1918. As is often the case with historical events, things tend to move in a circular fashion: what happened once tends to happen again in a different form.

To that end, I translated an article that I ran across that summarizes the efforts to contain the 1918 flu pandemic, and which also includes interesting remedies recommended by the authorities of the time. For this post, I focused on the town of Sabadell, which is located about 30 kilometers from Barcelona (and about 15 minutes from Cerdanyola). History, like always, has a lot to teach us, and more importantly, can also offer us comfort in uncertain times.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracatalunya, 1918, covid-19, coronavirus, spanish influenza, historyComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 18
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 18

My dear fellow Worrier,

I’m here to tell you – my voice does not shake; firm and unbreakable is my conviction – that everything will be okay. Amid the growing number of infections, the death count, the relentless advance of the coronavirus pandemic, and all the brewing economic uncertainty, I know that it’s hard to see how we, as a global community, will pull through. I have also wandered the desert of grief, searching for all-quenching hope; I, too, have peered into the hungry mouth of the abyss, searching for answers, however bleak they may be. Though I am just another traveler on the same road as you, I have stumbled on similar stones along my path, each of which has taught me a different lesson. That is why I can stand before you today and give you my full-throated promise that everything will be okay.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracoronavirus, covid-19, coping, letter, comfort, consolationComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 17
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 17

As 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 More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracoronavirus, covid-19, community, cerdanyola, news, good news
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 16
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 16

Little by little, I am becoming accustomed to living in this government-enforced lockdown in Spain. Whereas the first week or so was dedicated to adjusting to this new normal – gloves and mask are required for any excursions outside; smiling faces on a screen in rows of three on a Saturday night; the compulsory cleaning of newly-bought groceries and supplies – I’ve been thinking lately about what lessons the coronavirus pandemic has offered me. The urge to panic, to hoard, to obsessively watch the news, to hit the refresh button to see if the number of infections in our town has grown – all that has faded and is leaving in its place new levels of understanding.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracoping, coronavirus, covid-19, friends, love, relationships, technology, humanityComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 15
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 15

Today came the good news that though infections are still rising, the overall situation in Spain seems to have stabilized, as it seems that the social distancing practices are starting to have the desired effect of slowing down the transmission of the coronavirus. Let me repeat that: staying at home, sacrificing time with our friends and family, being responsible citizens by considering our own health as well as that of our community – these lockdown measures are finally beginning to bear fruit.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracovid-19, coronavirus, solidarity, community, doctors, gratitude, mariaComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 14
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 14

You will understand why, against the backdrop of the bleak situation in Spain (as of today, we have 64,000 confirmed cases, with nearly 13,000 in Catalonia), Franky and I felt a stab of fear when, on March 17, María, aged 71, said that she had a slight fever. Only 1 or 2 degrees. At first, she chalked it up to a slight flu, said it was nothing major, and remained in her characteristic high spirits. At that point, María said that her only complaint was the fact that she could not drink her noontime beer due to the fact that she was ill.

Read More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracoronavirus, catsalut, covi, familyComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 12
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 12

Today 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 More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracommunity, cerdanyola, catalunya, covid-19, coronavirus, applause, neighborsComment
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 11
Life in the Times of Coronavirus: Lockdown Day 11

The 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 More
Et CeteraCarlos Cabreracerdanyola, covid-19, coronavirus, groceries, solidaridadComment