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Posts: 223
Joined: Mar. 17 2015
From: Virginia USA
Should I go or should I stay?
My 2-month guitar vacation to Spain starts tomorrow evening, Feb. 27. I will fly out of Washington Dulles with a connection in Lisbon. I feel somewhat anxious. If the Coronavirus situation stays stable and does not get exponentially worse, then I would not have a bit of concern. But who knows what the situation will be like a month or two from now. Quarantines here and there; Airbnb and hotels may not be easily available, etc. This is what I am worried about...Getting stranded.
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Goldwinghai)
quote:
Airbnb and hotels may not be easily available,
Hai I wouldn't worry about accommodation. Certainly not in Cadiz, Puerto de SM or Jerez. - and I imagine across Spain.
We expect there will be cancellations over the next two months, and it isn't high season. My mate was due for Easter but he is already 50/50 at best.
Hopefully the warmer weather that is already starting will limit the virus progress to some degree.
I guess however your biggest concern would be flights and airports. Sure is a difficult call and seems little point in coming if it will be a permanent worry.
But wishing you all the best whichever way you decide.
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nigel (el raton de Watford - now Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz)
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Goldwinghai)
Didn't you just get back from a vacation in Spain?!
Maybe check travel advisories from you embassy? They may also have information on what assistance they would provide you in the event of a quarantine or the like. Your embassy probably also has a system of alerts by email or SMS that you can subscribe to and that will allow you to monitor the situation, which means that you could always come and then if you see that the situation is beyond your comfort levels, decide to go back early. Dunno what that would mean for you money-wise though with cancellations and the like.
Right now on the mainland I think there are 2 cases in Barcelona, 2 in Madrid, 1 in Sevilla and 1 in Valencia.
PS: if you end up getting it, would you mind dropping by my place for a few hours? I'll clear out and stay with my folks in France, but I just need you to go shake hands and maybe sneeze a few times on one of my neighbors.
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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Goldwinghai)
quote:
Right now on the mainland I think there are 2 cases in Barcelona, 2 in Madrid, 1 in Sevilla and 1 in Valencia.
Yup that is what we see.
My MIL's helper tonight said that when visiting the hospital she will wear a mask and gloves. And we have stepped up our Vit.C and have antiseptic hand wash all over the place. And our family in Madrid have bought masks. So things are happening - but in our case the motivation is to protect my 85 year old MIL who with lung problems is a high risk.
Just a thought, in Valdelagrana where we are you can hire an apartment quite cheap on the ground floor. This reduces close contact at breakfast buffets, using lifts, etc. and I think reduces the chances of lock-down as occurred in Tenerife.
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nigel (el raton de Watford - now Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz)
Posts: 223
Joined: Mar. 17 2015
From: Virginia USA
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to flyeogh)
quote:
I guess however your biggest concern would be flights and airports. Sure is a difficult call and seems little point in coming if it will be a permanent worry.
Nigel, that is really true. Sitting tight for 8 hours and a little cough would send alarm around the cabin. Has the Spanish government banned flights from certain countries? The US government has increased barring flights from more countries.
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Goldwinghai)
I don't think so, but private airlines like Iberia have suspended their flights to and from China.
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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Goldwinghai)
quote:
Has the Spanish government banned flights from certain countries? The US government has increased barring flights from more countries.
Current advice in spain "For the first time on Tuesday, the Spanish Health Ministry recommended that Spaniards restrict their journeys abroad. Minister Salvador Illa stated that unless it is strictly necessary, Spaniards do not go to four Italian regions – Lombardia, Piamonte, Emilia-Romana and Veneto – Japan, Iran, South Korea, Singapore and China. “There is no prohibition,” he said, “but unless it is essential, do not go to a risk zone. It’s common sense.”
Above from El Pais. A good source for official info I think.
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Goldwinghai)
Hai just an update for what it might be worth. In Madrid my sister-in-law and the work colleagues of my step-daughter have seen panic buying. Loo roles, anti-septic, rice, various foods out of stock. I've seen nothing of this in Cadiz yet.
Obviously a panic reaction and I imagine the manufacturers will be replacing items quickly with some increased prices . But might be a good idea to stuff some hand-sanitizers in your luggage until you find a local source.
And do get in contact when you're here (if you're near Jerez). I promise to stay at more than a meter distance and not share beer glasses
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nigel (el raton de Watford - now Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz)
Posts: 223
Joined: Mar. 17 2015
From: Virginia USA
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to flyeogh)
Nigel, I already bought a small hand sanitizer. Thank you. Additionally, I also pack Flonase, Ventolin, cough medicine, Zyrtec, Tylenol, several face masks, etc. basically my medicine cabinet with me.
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Goldwinghai)
quote:
Nigel, I already bought a small hand sanitizer. Thank you. Additionally, I also pack Flonase, Ventolin, cough medicine, Zyrtec, Tylenol, several face masks, etc. basically my medicine cabinet with me.
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to flyeogh)
quote:
Loo roles, anti-septic, rice, various foods out of stock
It depends on what supermarket we're talking about.
If things are out of stock at Dia, that's business as usual. Dia managers take pride in never having anything you need. If things are out of stock at Mercadona, OK I'm worried in a Christmas rush kind of way. If things are out of stock at Carrefour, RUN FOR YOU LIFE!!!
(personally I haven't seen any panic buying in Madrid. Not doubting what your relatives have said, just saying that I haven't seen it)
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Goldwinghai)
Hope things will calm down soon so you can return later in the year!
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Piwin)
In Madrid things are rather quiet today, at least in my neighborhood (Latina). Daycare, schools and universities will be closed as of tomorrow. Seniors have been asked to remain home as much as possible and companies requested to promote working from home. Flights with Italy have been suspended. Sports fans will have to watch upcoming matchs on television and not at the stadium. I still haven't seen anything like panic purchasing or anything like that. Local stores are still stocked up just fine, from what I can tell. But clearly we're at another stage of severity. The number of cases doubled yesterday, so we seem to be in that stage of exponential increase. Hopefully these measures will bring us to the inflection point fairly rapidly. A few of my neighbours have preferred to take some time off and wait it out in the "campo", which here usually just means whatever town they're originally from and have a place to stay, like a vacation home. I'm not sure how advisable that is but to each his own. I'd expect that if Madrid is the epicenter here in Spain, then it will quickly spread to other regions given how many people transit through here for work, studies, etc. Those who have decided to return to their campo to wait it out may unwittingly be contributing to the propagation. Who knows.
Madrid has by far the most cases (nearing 800, expected to rise significantly in the next few days), with the other main focal point being up North in La Rioja and Alava. Barcelona, Valencia and Malaga are secondary centres, with higher numbers than most areas but still well below 3-digits. I wouldn't be surprised to see the situation in Madrid lead to more stringent containment measures in the next few weeks, but we'll just have to wait and see what happens.
edit: take that back, I just saw my first case of panic purchasing. It was just one person but goddamn, it was glorious.
_____________________________
"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
Posts: 223
Joined: Mar. 17 2015
From: Virginia USA
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Piwin)
There is a shortage of hand sanitizers in my area. I went to several pharmacies and Walmart, they were all out. Luckily I still have a 2oz bottle which I bought several days before my planned departure for Spain. I am very happy to have made the decision to stay home, considering what is happening in the USA and elsewhere. CDC issued statement that people over 60 should stock up and avoid large crowds. Now I have to cut my gym time and hence having more time practicing my guitar. Yesterday my daughter was given by the doctor where she works 3 small bottle of hand sanitizers.
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to Goldwinghai)
quote:
There is a shortage of hand sanitizers in my area.
The best product to use is regular soap. In addition to the surfactants helping detach the virus particles from the skin, it actually destroys the virus because the virus machinery is enclosed by a protective layer of fat cells which the soap dissolves and thus renders the virus particles inactive.
Hand sanitizers are less effective - and have some effectiveness only if there is 60% or more alcohol in them. The other ingredients in them - antibacterials etc. - do not work on the virus at all.
RE: Should I go or should I stay? (in reply to kitarist)
I realised last night that every day, I breathe on the shoulder of my guitar as I play it, leaving a patch of condensed breath on the lacquer. Sometimes, when I’m puzzling on something my head drops and my face touches that same patch. I’ve had what feels like the same mildish flu on and off for the last three years.
From now on, I’m giving my guitar a wipe with something that can act on a nanostructure’s lipid outer shell.
Printable Version
. But might be a good idea to stuff some hand-sanitizers in your luggage until you find a local source. 
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