That is the question. Mexico is entering into Phase three (according to Presidente AMLO), which is the peak of the epidemic. The government announced new restrictions: mandating the wearing of masks in all public spaces (even walking the dog or driving the car); limiting movement to essential activities (buying groceries, getting medicine, etc.); and basically instructing everyone sixty years old or older to stay home all the time. I have never been happier to be fifty-nine years and six months old.
Our local leader, the Presidente (Mayor) of Chapala, banned all sales of alcohol at grocery and convenience stores, due to the fact that ‘it was unfair’ to the liquor stores which had been deemed non-essential. Luckily, he reversed that decision a few days later. On the positive side, he noted that we have no confirmed cases locally, that the roadside checks had discouraged thousands of unwanted holiday visitors last week, and that he would not be using the jail times and fines authorized under law, as the people were complying of their own free will. An excellent example of the concept of liberty as “the right to do what one ought” as opposed to “the freedom to do want one wants.”
On the negative side, the more stringent restrictions closed our local club, so no more tennis or gym access (you feel our tears, I know!). Judy and I have collected an assortment of exercise gear over the decades, so I dug out the box and we selected various implements of personal destruction. Judy went back to her kettlebells, with an obligatory case of hamburger hands, while I did a variety of improvised stretches, hand-weights, stretch bands, a medicine ball, and jumped rope up on the mirador. I played music loud so I couldn’t hear the neighbors laughing!
My new workout space 
Tucker tries out the roof dog life as I sweat
Judy got stopped by the policia coming back from the local farmacia: she had to show her license to explain why she was heading that direction (home). The government announced that restrictions will be extended until May 30th, except for smaller communities with no or few cases. They will be allowed to resume phase one activities (more normal life, with businesses reopening) on May 18th. I haven’t seen an official list of which towns qualify, but we’re certainly in the running.
Our state, Jalisco, is in an interesting position. Guadalajara is the capital, and it is the second largest city in Mexico, with our airport being the main transit hub for cargo. Yet we’ve had far fewer cases per capita than Ciudad de Mexico or other, smaller cities. As an analogy, in the CoVid19 pandemic in Mexico, Jalisco is playing California to Mexico City’s New York. The analogy even extends to the political side, as Jalisco is the center of (more conservative) opposition to the (more liberal) central government.
There is little of the panic evident here compared to the media coverage up north. The national government has emphasized they believe they have enough emergency room beds and ventilators to cover the surge; that may be wishful thinking, but there is much more of a common understanding that this is a deadly virus and that means some people will die. Flattening the curve means limiting avoidable deaths, not evading all deaths. Mexicans have an altogether different concept of death. It is not fatalistic so much as death as seen as an eventuality. One does what one can, and sometime (eventually) one dies. We’ll see how it all plays out.
Presidente AMLO’s sky high approval ratings have dropped steadily, but mostly due to the economic effects of the shutdown. Most Mexicans work “off book” and have little savings: the closures leave many completely bereft of resources. The federal government is attempting to make payments directly to the poor, but leaving businesses to fend for themselves. The state government is trying to bail out small businesses. Again, another experiment to watch.
It seems that leaders everywhere and at all levels are groping with the same challenges: unprecedented policy proposals, uncertain models with changing data, ambiguous public willingness to abide restrictions. Some have locked down, some are loosening up, although I have yet to see anyone with a blanket reopening approach. Some are doing more testing, some are doing less–and the results vary! Almost all are social distancing and emphasizing masks. The biggest single difference I see is the amount of drama involved: Mexico (like many countries) is treating the pandemic as a singular, very significant event: a life and death one. But just that.
Elsewhere, it seems to be closer to pandemonium than a pandemic.
No alcohol, what’s next, no chocolate?
It’s pretty quiet in the Sarasota area (no chaos). Costco, Walmart, grocery stores, gas stations, some parks, and hardware stores are open with precautionary measures in place. The operational hardware stores coupled with amazon mean more household projects. When am I supposed to goof off?
How’s are people behaving? Maintaining social distance, wearing masks, etc. ?
In Sarasota County masks are not mandated, but I’d estimate that well over half of the shoppers and workers wear face coverings at the open retail establishments. Generally speaking, the older the shopper, the more likely the face covering. I wear one (in an attempt to lower the mean, lol). However, I have noted less face coverings this week than last week. Regarding social distancing, I’d estimate the 1/4 of the shoppers are oblivious, indifferent, or rebellious. Yesterday the beaches opened for walking and jogging, that is, no coolers, chair, umbrellas, or towels. If I get to the beach today I’ll check back in.
Well written and insightful, as always. We’ve heard nothing of Mexico’s handling of the pandemic, except horror stories from Mexico City, of course. There’s a narrative to keep!
Most people in Virginia seem consigned to wear their masks (even though it’s not mandatory here) and go about life. I’m not a mask wearer, nor do I fear dying from this (as I understand epidemiology we’ll), but I’ll wear one if I’m told. There have been much publicized acts of civil disobedience in Richmond, but nothing local. It’s become a battle between those who practice virtue signaling, those who just want it to end (majority), and those who feel like they’re the next Samuel Adams.
What’s real is the mental toll. I am seeing marriages among friends taking some serious downturns, and my own kids (while able to play in a nice yard with a few friends regularly, are more quick-tempered (by far) and very confused by their world being shut down. It’s scary for them, even if they can’t quite articulate it.
Keep your updates coming! I always enjoy reading these posts, and find your life is a ex-pat very fascinating! Viva Mexico!
Great insights, Dan. You are quite right about the long term effects of quarantine: leaders have to realize that you can not enforce such conditions indefinitely. Even faced with dire consequences, people will stop complying, so quaratining early has its advantages, but its costs, too.
Even though I live here “among” you, I find it so interesting to know another’s summarizing point of view, Patrick. Other than chuckling over your mirador workouts and cringing over Judy’s mangled hands, I am pleased to know that you are among the invulnerable! The word is that we have no obvious cases of the virus here. In that we are an international destination, I am amazed that we have not been touched by this illness — maybe mental instability by those who feel under house arrest though! For us, we are enjoying the change of pace and isolation!