The Plague

It was about nine or ten weeks ago that my 6th grade students started asking about COVID-19. I told them we likely needed to pay attention to it, but that we should also remember that end of the world predictions happen pretty routinely. I told them about Y2K, and the Mayan Calendar, and various alignments of planets, and other dreadful viruses which all heralded the end of the world over the past few decades. I had, I said, lived through many ends of the world.

And now, I'm starting my 2nd full week of teaching online. I have to scrub all groceries we purchase with alcohol cleansers and then scrub the counters where I placed them for cleaning. I sanitize the door handles and light switches. My wife and I did not leave our apartment for 7 days--this morning we ventured out to the grocery for the first time, and each patron at Foodie was given sanitizer and received a temperature check before entering 2 meters behind the previous patron in line. In order to get outside we have to ride an elevator 54 floors down.

It's impossible to maintain social distance on an elevator with 5 or 6 other people.

In four hours we will be officially stuck here in Panama. All flights in and out of the country are barred starting at midnight for at least 30 days. The US State Department has advised that citizens living abroad shelter in place, avoiding international travel. The government has locked down movement from the City to the interior and the beaches. The pool and other facilities in our building are closed. There is a curfew from 9pm until 5am. All bars and restaurants are closed.

Frankly, I'd rather be in Panama than the USA right now. I have some concerns about societal collapse back home, and think we might fare better here at least for now. The government has been far more proactive here. But despite that, Panama has gone from 1 case to 345 cases in less than 3 weeks.

We have Spring Break in 2 weeks, and had hoped to visit either Guatemala or Cuba. We've been living here for almost two years and have not really explored many new places nearby, with the exception of Cartegena. Now, we wonder if we will be allowed to travel before next school year starts. Presumably our Spring Break will be more sitting around the apartment, reading and looking at the COVID-19 infection numbers?

And will next school year start online, from home?