New vaccine sites added; Home improvement, decor fair at Mall del Rio; Schools face teacher shortage; Eat Big Macs, help sick kids; Las Americas potholes fixed

Miércoles, 17/11/2021

Hola, Todos –

Actividades –

El viernes inicia la Fería de la Construcción, Vivienda y Decoración (Construction, Housing and Decoration Fair starts on Friday) – The 19th edition of this fair will run from viernes, 19/11 to domingo, 21/1 in the Centro de Convenciones Mall del Río. The fair is free and hours are from 10:00-19:00 with respect for capacity and all biosecurity measures. Exhibitors will include builders, design professionals, real estate firms, machinery and equipment for rent and sale, financial institutions, interior decoration, furniture for the office and home, accessories, and construction materials. <Have fun you househunters and do it yourselfers.>

Titular –

Schools are reopening but they face a teacher shortage.

Vacunación avanza con la mira en los refuerzos y clases presenciales (Vaccination moves forward with focus on boosters and in-person classes) – The Coordinación Zonal de Salud 6 announced that as of lunes, 15/11, 9 new vaccination locations were set up for laggards over 18 and for boosters for adultos mayores (seniors). Since last week, people who got the Johnson & Johnson shots overseas have been receiving their boosters. About 2,000 people have gotten boosters in the 3 sites especially for them – Paraíso, Número 2, and Tomebamba. Vaccinations of the 11-5 age group is also advancing with the kids getting Sinovac at the UPS.

Miriam Palacios, with the Coordinación Zonal 6 de Salud, said the idea is to reach 100% of 1st doses and 60% of 2nd doses by the middle of diciembre. She also stated that they are finalizing the 2nd doses for 12-15 year olds who are getting their Pfizer shots at the coliseo Jefferson Pérez. As for boosters for those over 65, they can get the AstraZeneca vaccine in the different health centers once 6 months have passed since completion of the 1st two doses. You need to show your vaccination card and cédula. People over 18 who are getting their first dose will receive AstraZeneca.

Epidemiologist Andrea Gómez Ayora said that it is essential for children and youth to return to classes for different reasons: their psychomotor and psychosocial development and their mental health <and the mental health of their parents who can now stop buying homeschoolers’ aid (wine) by the case>.

Nuevos puntos para refuerzo y (sic) adultos mayores (New sites for boosters and (sic) seniors

New sites for boosters for seniors?) –
Terminal Terrestre: M-F, 8:30-16:00
Hospital Municipal: M-F, 8:30-16:00
Feria Libre, next to the UPC: Wed & Sat, 8:30-16:00
Mall del Río: Food court, Sat, 20/11, 10:30-16:00.

Gran Día Solidario a favor de fundaciones (Great Solidarity Day in favor of foundations) – El próximo viernes will be the new edition of the Gran Día, when McDonalds donates 100% of what it collects from the sale of Big Macs to social causes to help families with children who are hospitalized or in treatment for complex illnesses such as cancer and to help social and work inclusion of disabled people. This year’s ambassadors are the paraolympic athletes Poleth and Anaís Mendes and the singer Diego Chiang. Benefitting organizations are the Ronald McDonald House and the Fundación El Triángulo. <Time to go load up on Big Macs and tell your arteries it’s for a good cause.>

Preocupante déficit de docentes (Worrying shortage of teachers) – The Zone 6 coordinator of the Ministerio de Educatión said that 322 teachers are needed for the establecimientos fiscales (public schools), some of which have gone weeks without teachers. Parents and students all want a return to classrooms with a priority to get teahers into classes, which can have 45 students in the urban areas. For example, at the 12 de Abril school, 3 teachers have retired since el septiembre pasado leaving 3 classrooms without a teacher. The principal said he has been asking for professors with no response. This is a nationwide problem, and Ecuador has historically had a deficit of teachers. 4 years ago, in Zone 6, there was a shortage of 600 teachers for the 1,500 schools. In 2018 the shortage dropped to 80, but in that same year, the budgets were cut, affecting the ability to contract for and pay teachers.

Mantenimiento en la Avenida de Las Américas para garantizar la movilidad de los cuencanos (Maintenance of Avenida de Las Américas to guarantee the mobility for Cuencanos) – A crew of 16 is working on temporary repairs to Av. de Las Américas, removing deteriorated paving and patching. In the coming months, repaving will start on the road. Crews are also fixing potholes on the road in the north part of the city.

Region –

Plaga afecta a cultivos en Azuay (Pest affecting crops in Azuay) – The insect caused plant disease “Punta Morada” is affecting 7 hectares in Azuay and is putting part of the agricultural production at risk. The plague which causes losses in quality and production, affects potatoes, tree tomatoes and regular tomatoes (tomates de riñon), peppers, chilis, naranjilla, uvilla and other plants in the solanáceas (nightshade) family. It was first found in isolated areas in 2020, but has spread with cases in Paute and Guachapala in 3 hectares of potatoes, 3 of tree tomatoes, and 1 of peppers. The parcels are being treated with technical help from the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG) which has distributed 300 kits at a cost of $50,000 to contrthe pest. It is also publicizing and conducting training for producers.

And that’s all for today so Hasta ? –

Jeanne