Coronavirus Lockdown Spanish Edition - Day 35 - Distant goodbyes

After the overwhelming first couple of quarantine weeks I've been trying to keep coronavirus "news" down to a minimum. It's too absorbing and not healthy. And it makes me sad. 

I know a lot of people of all ages are very scared of this virus, of catching it, falling sick, having to be hospitalized. In all truth that's not something that has worried me too much. Statistics are in my favor. When I catch it (because let's face it, most of us will at some point in the next year), based on my age and general good health and immune system I should be among the "mild" cases, or if a stronger one have a good chance of coming through it ok. Of course I know there's no guarantee of that, but it is likely. I have had a serious flu once before (2nd year of college) and have no desire to go through that again if it can be helped (have never been so ill in my life!). The only thing that really scares me is catching it and because of that long incubation period (and chance of being unsymptomatic) unknowingly passing it to my mom who is among the high-risk population (70 years old, damaged lungs and other significant health issues). About 70% of Covid-19 cases in Spain have been in people over 50, and over 60% of the ICU cases have been in people over 60. Retirement homes have been hit particularly badly (there are even investigations into some of them to see if sufficient mitigation measures had been implemented).

Whenever you turn on the news, or go online to read about the situation, it is impossible to avoid stories about people mourning their loved ones. Loved ones who died alone, or just accompanied by medical staff. Families not able to say a proper goodbye, even when the death wasn't from Covid-19 because funerals are no longer an option under the social distancing quarantine rules. A few weeks ago a friend had to wait a full day before she could drive 2h to the city where her parents live to be with her mom after her father died. She couldn't go until she had received a copy of the death certificate (needed in case the police stopped her along the route). No funeral, just the two of them at home waiting for the ashes to be delivered. The first week of the quarantine we had the first Covid-19 death connected with my work place. A staff member of the university (known to quite a few people in my office) died, and her partner and family couldn't get together to say their farewells. And a couple of hours ago my sister (who lives in Sweden) told us that her father-in-law (in Texas) was in hospital and her mother-in-law couldn't go see him or be with him. An hour later she told us he had passed. Under the current situation my brother-in-law (or my sister) obviously can't go to the States now to be with his mother. These days everyone has to mourn from a distance, often physically separated from the people who need their comfort. Video calls help, but they're no substitute for a good hug. And that's heartbreaking. 💔😢

#stayhome #quedateencasa #yomequedoencasa #restecheztoi