There are concerns at the moment among the expat community about the rise in positive cases of Covid-19. It seems clear from people we have been speaking to recently that back in March or April, positive cases of coronavirus seemed ‘further away’ than they do now and the virus is encroaching on our wider social circles and local community.
If we were to ask ourselves if we are as vigilant now as we were back in springtime, what would our honest answer be? We’re not trying to perpetuate fear or spread panic, but there is a tangibly worrisome atmosphere out there and we as a community need to come together to take steps to protect ourselves and our local economy. There is an onus on each of us to act responsibly for the sake of our friends, neighbours, colleagues and members of the community in which we live. In order to ensure our hostelry sector remains open for business, owners need to take steps to ensure customers feel safe and customers must follow social distancing guidelines and mask wearing rules. We may not like it, it may not feel normal but for now, it is what it is.
We all know what we should be doing, but it’s useful to be reminded sometimes. So, with that in mind, here are a few things that we can do to keep our community safe…
• Wash our hands. It seems obvious, but often we automatically consider our own hands to be clean, even if we have touched surfaces in public or at work without thinking. There is no shortage of hand sanitiser in shops now and pocket or handbag sized bottles are widely available. When we are at home or in work, we should wash our hands regularly (especially before preparing food for ourselves or others, and before eating). Some people find it useful to set an alarm on their phone which reminds them every hour to wash their hands. It seems simple, but is effective.
• Download the Radar Covid app. Back in August, Spain’s Prime Minister called on ‘all citizens’ to download coronavirus tracking app Radar Covid. The app uses a phone’s Bluetooth to estimate the distance and time between app users. It will be able to accurately tell if you have spent 15 minutes or longer near someone who tested positive for the virus. The app warns you an¬onym¬ously of any pos¬sible con¬tact you may have had in the last 14 days with a per¬son who has been in¬fec¬ted. The infected person is expected to input their positive result into the app in order for the system to work (a positive diagnosis means that health workers will give app users a unique number to input to the app, meaning that all of those other app users who have been in close proximity to the patient will receive an alert).
The app is available in Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Basque, Valencian and English. It works without revealing your identity or that of your device – your name, email, geolocation and phone number are NOT connected. Users are asked to keep their Bluetooth activated and, in the event of a positive diagnosis, enter the code provided. The code isn’t linked to any information on your or to your device in order to preserve anonymity. If you have had a ‘risk contact’ the app will alert you and you are asked to then follow a set of instructions.
RADAR COVID SURVEY
This week, we ran a short survey on our Facebook page in which we asked members of the expat community if they had the Radar Covid app. Of those who responded to the survey, 64% had the app and 36% didn’t. Of those who didn’t have the app, their reasons included: privacy concerns, lack of knowledge of the app’s existence and technical issues. One user thought the app needed wifi in order to function (it doesn’t, only Bluetooth which does not require an internet connection). Of those who DO have the app, an overwhelming majority (91%) said that if diagnosed with Covid-19, they would take the next step and input their result. Of those who don’t yet have the app, 56% would now consider downloading it, 24% won’t be downloading it and 24% remain unsure.
• Be honest. There can be a stigma attached to a positive diagnosis, but if people are not honest about their results, it can negatively impact those who they have been in contact with. If you have had a positive diagnosis, reach out to the people and places you have come in contact with over the last two weeks and let them know. It’s an awkward call to make, but it’s the right thing to do. We live in a close knit community, and the rumour mill is always turning. If we are all honest with each other, it will help prevent rumours spiralling out of control.
It’s also important to continue to support our local small businesses. When you shop, eat, drink or do business in the local area, remember that every venue, bar, restaurant and business has strict legal guidelines to follow, such as tables set at 2m apart (chair-back to chair-back) and no nearer, reduced capacity inside and on terraces, no sitting at the bar and restrictions on smoking. There should also be no shared or reused condiments or menus and if you move from the table you need to replace your mask before you stand up or move. Please support those local venues and businesses that are adhering to the rules and working hard to keep you safe, whilst allowing you to still enjoy the Costa Blanca lifestyle we all know and love.