We are in this together and can best get through it together.
Following the Government’s decree on Saturday 14th March as described in this report, life in Spain has changed and over the coming year over half of us may experience the dry cough, sore throat and tiredness symptoms of Covid 19.
The government prescription is ‘self isolation’ if you have the disease so that you do not affect others, and ‘self isolation’ if you don’t have it so that you don’t get it.
Costa Women Members are mostly foreigners with families elsewhere. The two key implications of ‘self isolation’ are loneliness and an ability to get supplies:-
For the loneliness that would normally accompany isolation, we plan to mobilise the Costa Women website and our groups on the website and social media through our phones, computers and tablets and offer communication resources that can be used for more and new types of social interaction.
For the second essential shopping for supplies. The Spanish supermarkets do excellent home delivery, although this is often complex to set up, online and help on how to teach this is being organised. As a community, we should be able to reach out and offer help when we are fit and well and to ask for help when we are not and need it.
One of the exceptions in the government order prohibiting citizens and vehicles from travelling is “to assist and care for seniors, minors, dependants, the disabled, or people who are particularly vulnerable”. This indicates already how much this need will exist for that type of support and whilst we are not sure on exactly how as yet, we know that we have to help and may need help.
Online Resources
This is the Spanish Government Website in English
The Spanish Ministry of Health website with the medical advice
More Spanish Government Statistics about which provinces are affected.
The British Embassy Facebook page offers a lot of useful informations.
Foreign & Commonwealth Office has updated its Travel Advice to advise against all but essential travel to Spain, following the restrictions put in place by the Spanish government in response to the outbreak of coronavirus (Covid-19). More information here
If you want to know the infection statistics in your hometown or any major population center, this useful calculator will help you to find it.
If you need to inform charities of people who need help, or find a charity you would like to offer help to, Support In Spain is mostly for charities aimed at British nationals resident in Spain over 50 and others who may need extra advice.
This is a great video to explain the coronavirus.
Information from World Health Organisation about the virus here.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have created a guide to prepare for the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak.
There are so many questions to ask about what is happening, Oh My Good Guide has produced an excellent guide to living under the new rules.
Dr John Campbell is a retired teaching nurse with a Phd in nursing and a down to earth North of England style. He does a daily update and his channel is full of useful medical advice on every aspect of Covid-19 and other useful matters.
Some Myth Busters!
Don’t believe everything you read! There are some myth busters from the World Health Organisation about the virus more here
Watch this space, more to come…..
Thanks for this updated information.
I do like the last message ''Don't believe everything you read''.
It's important because there is quite some misinformation out there causing more panic than necessary
So, keep yourself WELL informed from good sources.