Disinfecting and gloves not effective for Covid; Road work suspended under ‘red light’; Cuenca virus stats; Cannes short films online

Miércoles, 20/5/2020

Hola, Todos –

Starting next week, I’m going to take a week’s vacation. No, I don’t have any secret knowledge or contacts, so I’m not going anywhere. I just need a break.

Actividades –
De la pagina cultural –

Maratón de Cuento – The Girándula-Asociación Ecuatoriana del Libro Infantil y Juvenil (Girándula-Ecuadorian Association of Children and Youth Books) has organized a 3 day Story Marathon starting el 29/5 on its Facebook page. It will include lectures, workshops, round tables and conferences geared for children <Do any children of your acquaintance like to participate in round tables and conferences?> and professionals such as booksellers and writers.

Cannes short films – Short films produced from 1965 to 2017 and selected for the Cannes Film Festival will be released until 23-25/5. More than 15 films will be available at http://formatcourt.com/.

Otras cosas –

Police patrol at the 9 de Octubre market on Tuesday. (El Tiempo)

Titular – Reducen jornada laboral y eliminan los subsidios (Reduce working hours and eliminate subsidies) – The country’s deficit was $4 billion before the pandemic and has risen to $12 billion since. See today’s article in CHL for information about the measures to save money. <Doesn’t it seem like collecting the $4.5 billion owed in taxes to the SRI and repatriating offshore funds should be on the table?>

Ni túneles ni guantes – The COE nacional does not recommend either disinfecting tunnels or gloves for COVID-19 prevention because allergic reactions and health conditions that can result from exposure to the distinfecting chemicals. A chemist gave another reason that disinfecting tunnels are not recommended. To eliminate a virus or bacteria, you need to be exposed to bleach, alcohol or other disinfectants for at least 3 minutes and going thru the tunnels takes 20 seconds. Spraying streets and sidewalks is fine for disinfecting in general, but doubtful against the coronavirus. Also, how often do you touch the pavement and then touch your eyes, mouth or nose? <And how many of you would use the 5 second rule for a public sidewalk? That same sidewalk where you complain about dog poop.>

Use of gloves also gives a false sense of security and should be for short periods and should not replace handwashing. Permanent use of gloves also impedes your skin from breathing normally, and the sweat creates a breeding ground for bacterial infections. <Has anyone noticed they’re getting athletes foot on their hands?> A doctor said that the best way to prevent infections is by washing your hands, wearing a mask in public spaces, and physical distancing.

Suspended road work – MTOP is hoping for the stoplight to change to yellow so that road projects can be resumed. Work on the vía Gualaceo-Plan de Milagro-Limón was at about 90% complete when it was suspended. Other projects were suspended in the design and contracting phases. MTOP is distributing equipment at strategic points in the road system to keep them open after landslides due to the rainy season.

30 EMAC workers positive – The first garbageman to test positive had contact with a family member who was infected, and he infected his work group including the garbage truck driver. After more testing, another 24 were positive. All are in quarantine. The crews have been given masks, gloves, alcohol, and the vehicles have been disinfected.

COVID data – According to the Coordinación Zonal 6 de Salud, Cuenca has 629 confirmed cases of which 234 have recovered. The hospitals are treating 38 patients of whom 21 are critical. Hospital capacity is 70 regular beds and 30 intensive care beds.

Cuenca among the cities with the highest number of drinkers – <Is that because it’s full of gringos?> Nationally, 911 received 29,731 calls related to drinking in public between 12/3 and 14/5. The most complaints came from Quito with 6,089, Guayaquil with 6.048, Cuenca with 1,625, and Machala with 936. The director of ECU 911 said that drunks sleeping in the streets caused worry and multiple reports from people who were afraid the drunks were COVID victims. The daily average of 465 incidents is an elevated number. <Looks like home schooling is just as hard on Ecuadorian parents as on US parents. Translate all those home schooling/drinking jokes into Spanish and send them to your Cuencano friends with kids.>

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne