Published in El Pais, 9 May 2020.
We are far from out of the woods but in parts of the world the coronavirus does seem to be slowing down and countries are talking about lifting the quarantine. These of course will be done in stages and it is unlikely that one day you need to be hiding in your home and the next day you can go to a concert with 20,000 people. Many experts say post quarantine life will not return to normal until a vaccine and that is at least a year away. So, once it is “safe” to go outside how should we behave? Here is a list of guidelines that professional experts are advising to ensure that we do not have a second outbreak.
No Parties. Everyone wants to have a big celebration when all this is over but that will have to wait. It might be safe to have a cup of coffee in a park with your friend, but large gatherings should be out of the question for the foreseeable future.
Travel Locally. That trip abroad may have to wait a few years. Even countries that are lifting the lockdown are still not opening their boarders as they are recognizing that the virus is still out there. Once borders open you really must think about whether it is necessary to travel. Every place has their own hidden gem, including where you live. Go out and discover it.
Smart Distancing. We must do this for awhile. Avoid large crowds and if you do not think it is possible where you are, consider whether you need to be there at all.
Masks. It is time to get over the embarrassment of wearing a mask. I am not saying we need to wear them all the time, but we need to make it an everyday accessory. Wear it when travelling, in places where smart distancing is difficult, and when you are sick.
Everyone is impacted with this pandemic whether sick or not. If we relax our guard now this will only prolong our suffering and we will have intermittent quarantines until a vaccine is discovered. Once the quarantine is lifted, lets do our part to make sure it stays safe for us and others.
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