Coronavirus ~ La Ultima Hora
- Ryann Van der Zwiep
- Mar 15, 2020
- 3 min read
Dear friends and family,
First and foremost, I am healthy and am fully confident in the Spanish government to do all that is in their power to handle the situation at hand. I was hoping that in writing this I can settle some minds at ease and possibly offer some light and reassurance in these times of uncertainty. Currently Spain is the worst hit country behind Italy in Europe. Due to the fact that we are seeing the same — if not a more dramatic — exponential growth patterns as those in Italy have experienced, Spain has declared a national lockdown for the next two weeks.
Italy Spain
(Information as of March 14, 2020)
According to the decree of the lockdown all schools, public monuments, and museums, will be closed during this time. Additionally, transportation has been greatly restricted and people are only allowed to leave their homes for emergencies, food, or work. As a Language Assistant here in Andalucía I have been informed that although I will not be attending work for the coming two weeks I will still be paid as long as I abide by the quarantine and do not leave Spain. As of yesterday, police cars have been driving down our streets telling people to stay inside and updating all of us on the latest developments.
While the majority of cases in Spain are located in the provinces of Madrid, Catalunya, and the Basque Region, where I am placed — in the province of Andalucía — our government is taking great precautions to prevent the further spread of the virus. If you are interested in looking at an interactive live map of the spread of Coronavirus in Spain follow the link below:
This virus has affected the health and minds of those most vulnerable in our society — as well as put a large strain on our countries and citizens economically — but it has also taken a huge hit to our collective cultural spirit especially here in Sevilla. In order to avoid future spread of the outbreak, government officials have decided to put aside the serious economic and spiritual impact of canceling their rich traditions of Semana Santa parades and the Fería de Abril. In the past, these celebrations tend to gather thousands of visitors from around Spain and the world to see these spectacles. While I myself am not worried of coming into danger because of this virus, I understand of the great impact that I could cause to so many others in my community. Of course, these cancelations which I have waited years and even moved to this great city to witness, as well as my family having to cancel our trip to see one another here in Spain, hurts. However, this hurt for the moment I hope will come to a close as long as everyone does their part in protecting ourselves and others.
Yesterday was the first full day of the lockdown here in Spain, but all of us here have not lost our spirit. Last night in my apartment my roommates and I were brought to the window with the sounds of clapping coming from all directions in our neighborhood. It was only a few minutes after when I began to receive messages from other Auxiliars living here in Sevilla sending videos and messages about the clapping in their different parts of town. For 5 minutes the clapping continued as more and more of my neighbors came out on their terraces and a few fireworks went off down the street...all of which was a tribute to our health and sanitation workers who are putting themselves at risk to keep the rest of us safe. Since then, I have heard of this same celebration taking place all around Spain. Due to this act of solidarity and gratitude I have received more and more notifications of planned “Indoor Flash Mobs” and more ways to keep our spirits high and have fun in these trying times.
To all of my loved ones back home I have to say that what is happening here in Spain and around the world will spread and we have no idea how long these ripple effects will last. There is a lot of information that is still unknown and people are scrambling to help slow the spread of infection. For now I am prepared to stay at home for the next two weeks with both a grocery store and pharmacy just a two minute walk away in case I need anything. Any and all book, movie, or time-consuming recommendations are greatly appreciated! I hope everyone at home is staying safe, taking all precautions, and — most importantly — taking care of our neighbors and those who are most at risk.
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