Arrived at work and found out we would largely be working from home until further notice. So at day 43 I will be experiencing teletravail (work from home). The cat may or may not be amused by this. There is much uncertainty at the moment, so it’s day by day.
The Government’s big proposed deconfinement plan was announced today. Its overarching philosophy is that we must learn to live with the virus until there is a vaccine because we can’t stay locked down for ever.
It will only happen on 11 May if we dutifully stick to the existing measures in place until then, and if the rates continue to fall. Otherwise we stay in lockdown. Basically, we get to dip a toe in but if anything bites it we’ll snap back into confinement. A bit like a turtle who thought they might poke their head out to sniff for some food only to be greeted by a skunk who also thought they might sniff for a bit of roast turtle brain.
Businesses get to re-open but everyone is supposed to work from home as much as possible for the next three weeks. Business-owners can refuse entry to people not wearing a mask. Masks will be compulsory on public transport and at work (if we have to go in). No restaurants or cafes but this will be re-assessed at the end of May.
Younger school students get to go back bit by bit, particularly in the areas least affected, along with high school students in those areas. Other schools will have to wait until June. I think parents must still be pretty happy, teachers not so much. They have to wear masks.
Massive testing regime (700,000 tests a week planned) about to start for anyone presenting with symptoms. Currently only the cases that end up in hospital are tested, so our actual COVID count is probably about 10 x higher than what is reported.
Happiness of happiness, the markets get to re-open so long as they can put in place social distancing measures. It will be up to the local mayors to decide.
Sadness of sadness we are still restricted to travel within our own areas. We’re able to travel up to 100km without the written declaration. Only able to go more than 100km for an essential reason related to work or family. Even worse, each department will be mapped according to how badly they have been affected, and assigned as red or green accordingly. Those who are green will have less deconfinement restrictions. Those in the red will have much stricter measures in place, though we don’t know what they are. Of course, I live in the worst-affected department.
At least we’re coming out of lockdown I guess. Just have to cross my fingers that everyone in the country behaves properly over the next couple of weeks.
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