What am I doing to stay safe during Coronavirus pandemic? Social distancing is what!
The last line of defence. People avoidance!
The Coronavirus cases are on the rise. The second wave.
A friend asked me a couple of questions:
How bad is the virus in the Balkans? Are you concerned about catching it, or taking precautions?
There have been 300+ cases reported each day for the last few days here in North Macedonia. The higher concentration of cases is naturally in the capital.
300 might not seem many when compared to the figures in the UK or elsewhere but here, the population is just 1.5M. With the 68M in the UK, the same percentage would mean cases here are equivalent to 13,600. Pretty much what they are. WTF.
Am I concerned about catching it? Yes of course. No one wants to get sick or worse.
Am I strong enough? Who knows? We all like to think we are supermen or women.
Have I had it? Weird feelings in Kenya could always have been put down to other things. Sneezing in Beograd, they were cutting the grass everywhere. I have a pollen allergy. AKA 'hayfever'.
What precautions am I taking?
I've upped the ante!
I have taken to staying in apartments for the last week or so. I meet the owner, say 'hi' in the morning and/or evening and that is about the limit of my contact with others at my lodgings. In Bitola, I opted for a hostel as I wanted to be able to cook.
I have a 4-bed dorm. I am alone. In fact, I am the only guest at the hostel. The guy running the joint and his girl live here. She is out at work all day and he is coming and going.
I am out a lot and when I am here I retreat to my room. I cook my meals in the kitchen obviously but they are in the living area.
Since the cases started rising, most people on the street are masking up. It's required by law to wear masks inside shops and on buses. I am not using local buses anyways, only when going to the next town.
Everyone respects the concept of Social Distancing, unlike Albania, who have much lower cases but, of course, lower testing capacity produces few cases and have (mostly) no concept of #maskthefuckup and personal space. Albania has a suspiciously low death rate. Since it all began, no more than 6 deaths in a single day. Sometimes 4, sometimes 5, 6, 3, 2 or 1 but never 7 or 8! I smell a rat! And it's doubly weird with their slack approach, OR IS IS THE RIGHT APPROACH?
When I am out, I keep my distance from everyone. Sometimes I sit in a café, and always away from other customers but mostly I buy a coke from the store and go sit someplace.
I go to the store to buy food. I am in and out. You can't avoid everyone unless you live on an allotment.
I am still LIVING and am limiting my contact with others. Period. I still have my 70% alcohol I bought in Serbia. Shops have antibacterial hand wash available. When I can't avoid others I wear my mask.
A friend asked me a couple of questions:
How bad is the virus in the Balkans? Are you concerned about catching it, or taking precautions?
There have been 300+ cases reported each day for the last few days here in North Macedonia. The higher concentration of cases is naturally in the capital.
300 might not seem many when compared to the figures in the UK or elsewhere but here, the population is just 1.5M. With the 68M in the UK, the same percentage would mean cases here are equivalent to 13,600. Pretty much what they are. WTF.
Am I concerned about catching it? Yes of course. No one wants to get sick or worse.
Am I strong enough? Who knows? We all like to think we are supermen or women.
Have I had it? Weird feelings in Kenya could always have been put down to other things. Sneezing in Beograd, they were cutting the grass everywhere. I have a pollen allergy. AKA 'hayfever'.
What precautions am I taking?
I've upped the ante!
I have taken to staying in apartments for the last week or so. I meet the owner, say 'hi' in the morning and/or evening and that is about the limit of my contact with others at my lodgings. In Bitola, I opted for a hostel as I wanted to be able to cook.
I have a 4-bed dorm. I am alone. In fact, I am the only guest at the hostel. The guy running the joint and his girl live here. She is out at work all day and he is coming and going.
I am out a lot and when I am here I retreat to my room. I cook my meals in the kitchen obviously but they are in the living area.
Since the cases started rising, most people on the street are masking up. It's required by law to wear masks inside shops and on buses. I am not using local buses anyways, only when going to the next town.
Everyone respects the concept of Social Distancing, unlike Albania, who have much lower cases but, of course, lower testing capacity produces few cases and have (mostly) no concept of #maskthefuckup and personal space. Albania has a suspiciously low death rate. Since it all began, no more than 6 deaths in a single day. Sometimes 4, sometimes 5, 6, 3, 2 or 1 but never 7 or 8! I smell a rat! And it's doubly weird with their slack approach, OR IS IS THE RIGHT APPROACH?
When I am out, I keep my distance from everyone. Sometimes I sit in a café, and always away from other customers but mostly I buy a coke from the store and go sit someplace.
I go to the store to buy food. I am in and out. You can't avoid everyone unless you live on an allotment.
I am still LIVING and am limiting my contact with others. Period. I still have my 70% alcohol I bought in Serbia. Shops have antibacterial hand wash available. When I can't avoid others I wear my mask.