Growing Old – Lock Down Day 48

Happy Beltane (Beltain) the Gaelic May Day festival, today May 1st around the world it is celebrated as the first day of summer, so today we have a Fiesta, a day when everything closes. Things are a little different this year as there is not much open to close! It is often seen too as a day for the workers so I was surprised to find early this morning a crane lift with workers painting some house in front of us. I have now found out my allotted time for my hour outdoors starting tomorrow, before 10 am or after 8 pm so I will now need to re assess my day probably taking the morning spot. This morning has started with a lot of communication and little time to write so I will just stick with the official information available referencing the de escalation of lock down.

Adults	6 am-10 am				8pm-11pm
Over 70’s		10am-12		7pm-8pm
Children			12-7pm

Phase 0	Citizens able to go outside for exercise or for walks * Individual training for professional sportsmen and women, basic training for professional leagues * Small businesses, such as hardware stores or restaurants that offer food to take away can open if they offer appointments * Appointments for hairdresser * Staff will have to wear protective equipment, such as masks and gloves.
Phase 1	From May 10/11 journeys to 2cnd residences within the same province, if in a different province they will not be allowed until at least the end of June, use of masks on public transport * social contact between people in the same city not considered to be at risk i.e. elderly or underlying conditions * travel in a car with the people you live will be allowed * Cafés with terraces able to open at 30% of their usual capacity * Visit friends and family members in same province * Hotels reopen, but no common areas available to guests, such as the buffet.
Phase 2	Possibly end of May, implementation could vary from province to province depending on the situation * Citizens will be able to enter the inside of bars and restaurants, with a limit of 30% of capacity * Cinemas, theatres, monuments, exhibition centres and auditoriums will reopen with a similar limit on capacity * Cultural events such as concerts will be possible with 1/3 capacity * Outdoor events up to 400 people allowed if seated * Visits to people in homes with disabilities will be allowed, but not to seniors * Schools classes offered for children under the age of 6 if parents work * Students will be able to complete university entrance exams * Schools will not reopen fully until September.
Phase 3	Likely implemented in mid-June, Relaxation of mobility restrictions, with a continued recommendation to wear masks outside of the home, and above all, on public transport * Visits to senior homes with conditions * Bars will be able to open with a limit of 50% of capacity * Beaches and swimming pools, there will be more details on their use in the future * Shoppers will be able to enter establishments, but a limit on capacity and to observe social distancing.
Phase 4	“New normality” The last stage – referred to by the government as “the new normality” should arrive at the end of June provided there is no upsurge of the virus. “Mobility between provinces will begin when we get to the new normality,” Some provinces could get to this stage before others, meaning that travel between them will only be possible if they are both in the same situation * No confirmation of when national flights and non-essential train journeys will be possible once more * “We want to highlight the use of other plans for mobility in our plans, reclaiming urban spaces for pedestrians and bicycles in order to avoid a rise in the use of private vehicles and a worsening of noise levels, air quality and traffic jams,” * The executive is planning on recommending the use of bikes, public spaces for those on foot, as well as other measures including home working where possible, and staggered start times in workplaces to avoid crowds on public transport.

The markers for each change of phase will depend on: The strategic capacity of Spain’s health system, including primary care, the situation in hospitals and the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds available * The epidemiological situation, including testing, the infection rate and other indicators * The collective compliance with protection measures in the workplace, businesses and public transport * The evaluation of mobility and socioeconomic data.

The goal is keep new contagions at a level that the healthcare system can cope with. Regional health authorities must be prepared to double their number of available critical care beds if there is a new spike in cases. The health system will also need to create centres dedicated exclusively to Covid-19 patients, or at the very least have a separate entrance for them at existing facilities. And primary care centres should have the ability to take samples and send them to laboratories for PCR testing, which identifies people with an active infection, within 48 hours. Authorities have also began conducting a long-announced nationwide study to determine what percentage of the population has antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The study will test 90,000 individuals from 36,000 families three times at three-week intervals.

In other news A coronavirus drug which initially failed in Chinese trials is now working and could help end lockdown restrictions, scientists have said. Remdesivir, a broad-spectrum antiviral, was developed more than a decade ago to cure an unknown “Disease X” and is currently being trialled on patients in the NHS. This one sentence is so confusing, it didn’t work now it does? And cure and unknown disease X! Keen to resume 2020 campaign rallies and as death toll from the outbreak now soaring beyond 60,000, Trump said the government would not be extending its social distancing guidelines expiring on Thursday. On good news Denmark and the Czech Republic have said partially easing their lockdowns has not led to a surge in new coronavirus infections.

Well today has been an information day to compare in a few months time how it al played out, the sun is shining and for the first time in this entire 6 weeks the air is fresh and clear. Noise levels are up as building workers use drills nearby but cars are less today after yesterdays road blocks and stops throughout the town. Anticipation is in the air for tomorrow, the first day of hope in 6 weeks as we take those first steps back into life.

I have just hung out of my 4 or 8 floor high window (each apartment has 2 floors) I wanted to take a photo of my view to the left, a clear vision of Africa. The days when this happens are few so on these occasions we are always in awe, seeing this magical continent is quite mystical as it appears on the horizon to remind us it is so close by. I am 3 hrs late finishing this today but feel blessed I have spoken with so many people, I wish you a blessed day too, please stay safe and take precautions to protect yourself and loved ones including taking care of your mental health 💜