Mexico the Corona Virus and I

Only this morning I read in the newspaper that there is a conformed COVID-19 person in Cancún. That is closeby. And I have no doubt there are more cases that are spreading the virus, With hundreds of planes from all over the world entering Cancún airport per week, there must be. Only take the TUI flights from the Netherlands a country nearly on lockdown.

I disconnected from social media this morning. I woke up to a happy sunny Sunday morning with birds singing. The city was quiet, as always on Sunday morning. The only day in the week people take it slower than usual. Fewer street vendors trying to reach the inside of houses with voices, horns, and clapping their hands, and life seems to slow down more on Sunday.

But when I opened my social media when having a coffee the world was right in my face. Every post, every trendy topic, every update was about the virus. And I felt disturbed and distracted by it. Suddenly the bird’s song did not reach my heart anymore and the ever so quiet Sunday morning experience was blemished. The Panic outbreak is worse than the virus itself to me.

The virus fever is more a threat to the world than COVID-19 itself, so it seems

The world economy seems suddenly unstable and the downfall of the global economy seems to be at hand. Companies are declared bankrupt all over Europe and people lose their jobs in tourist sectors, import and export business, and logistics.

In the Netherlands, the public gets false numbers, due to the lack of test cases and the WHO numbers don’t add up anymore since they do not report about healing, only about contamination.
And it scares the hell out of people that have nothing else to do than to sit at home, tweet about their toilet paper purchases and the problems with entertaining the kids and grocery deliveries.

I feel partly ashamed about the behavior of the human race at the moment. While in the days without the virus conversations are about acceptance, tolerance, and uniting, now we only care about ourselves and our stack of food.

Only a few setup aid-projects for those that live alone and vulnerable people that are being isolated even more now.
Applause to them!

In Mexico it seems business as usual, although you can’t find any face masks anymore, all sold out, so I am told by a smirking pharmacist that probably keeps them in stock to make more profit later on.

I have not yet seen people hoarding food and supplies in stores, but I do worry what my position will be in this very patriotic country that thrives on tourism. Will the Mexican people be hospitable and courteous during times of need, or will they go for: Mexicans first.

Schools are granted a longer easter break and football is postponed

I have started to buy some extra cans of food, just in case. Since schools are closing and football is postponed

With the news entering the Mexican households of more cases and more change of community spread in 2 weeks time, I have added some extra products in my chart when I am at the grocery store. Nothing special, just some beans, pasta, rice, and noodles. And water.

Living in a country where hand sanitizers are all over the place on an ordinary day, and with a government that is communicating both contaminations and the healed, and seems confident they can contain this virus just like they did with other (tropical) diseases like Dengue, or SARS and Swine Flu, I cannot do anything else but relax and let go.

Tourists from Europe and the American continent are still welcome in Mexico

I can avoid the tourist areas and walk away from European tourists as much as I can, and avoid crowds. But I cannot live in a bubble entirely. I stay at home more now. Since I am aware of the many tourists here, I rather walk in the other direction instead of 5th avenue.

But it is in my mind, for I should feel I have nothing to worry about. I can let fear reign my life, or I can let life happen. Like a friend said who is stuck in the Philippines due to the travel ban: When it is your time, it is your time.
I am healthy and strong. I have been taking extra vitamins for years. I eat plenty of fresh veggies and fruits, I do not smoke nor drink, so I guess I am on the safe side of this virus spreading.

What I do not want is for the virus to rule my life, like it now rules the world. It is worrisome how vulnerable our chain supplies are and the economy if a virus can take us down. Who would have thought that the economy could collapse over something we can only see under a microscope?