Coronavirus in the Algarve

It’s very interesting comparing the attitudes and approaches between the land of our birth and our newly adopted home.

The UK originally seemed to take the usual stoic British approach of we’ll be able to fight this and beat it with a stiff upper lip. Let’s see how that pans out…..

An approach of asking people to voluntarily abstain from the pub…really? In the UK? Good luck with that. This is a country where they tried putting breathalysers in pubs so people wouldn’t drink and drive and the result was Friday night competitions to see who could blow the highest reading. And a recommended alcohol unit number that is seen as a challenge not a limit.

Portugal seems to have taken a much more active and directive approach – restricting hours and numbers of clients in bars and restaurants, banning surfing (this is more to do with banning large gatherings as opposed to the sport of surfing being seen as a particular threat to life) and closing the border with Spain (definitely the major benefit of this dire situation. )

So as much as the government have been quite prescriptive the population as a whole, has followed the guidance and furthermore they have taken additional steps. It’s interesting to see that in our town that virtually every Portuguese run establishment has fully closed of it’s own accord, rather than running the risk of spreading the virus. This must be a massive decision for a number of these places as they are small family run affairs that can’t be making much money on a week by week basis so they are accepting serious economic hardship for the greater good and their health. Comparing the Cabanas population’s response with what we are seeing on UK news channels paints very different pictures, there are stringent limits on the number of people allowed in shops at any one time but people are patiently waiting their turn outside each establishment and when they are going in they are doing a reasonable “big shop” but no stockpiling, no panic buying and certainly not fighting over toilet rolls – come on what’s wrong with these people? Why toilet rolls? If you don’t buy food you’ll have no need for the cleansing of the end product. The American approach of queuing for guns to prepare for the break down of civil society almost makes more sense.

Portugal is obviously a very poor country and I’m sure this has driven some of their response to the threat. The health service will go into meltdown if there is anything like a Spanish scenario so it has to be stopped before it happens. The next potential step is to announce a State of Emergency (currently in the hands of the President to be decided on Wednesday.) The government is of the opinion that the current State of Alert is being taken so seriously that this is an unnecessary step at the moment but if this happens it gives more powers to enforce restrictions on people’s movements and possibly closing all land, sea and air borders.

And as much as it may be a flippant remark, one of the best things that could happen here is a week or two of bad weather, I thought it was a bit of an exaggeration when I was first told but the Portuguese do not go anywhere when it rains, that will impose social distancing as much as any government edict.

Stay safe wherever you are……