PICK OF THE WEEK: Andorra (Pyrenees)
Main places:
Andorra la Vella, Escaldes-Engordany, San Julia de Loria, La Massana, Ordino, Encamp, Canillo, Pas de la Casa
MINISTRY OF HEALTH
1. To maximize resources, health workers are only testing people with symptoms who are not part of a known group. When one member of a family is diagnosed with C19, then the rest, if symptomatic, are considered positive without testing them.
2. As we have had 10 days of lockdown, new infections are expected to go down.
3. From today, health services will be able to do about 100 PCR tests per day which enables the health service to keep closer track of the country’s epidemiology.
4. Healthcare staff and those from other professions (eg. firefighters), if in contact with people who are positive will receive PCR tests, once they have symptoms.
5. Elderly and at-risk people should always be tested for PCR.
6. The health service will continue the therapeutic strategy using hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin.
7. The disease is ingrained in society. We might end up all having it, and what is important is that we don’t all have it at the same time, or we could overwhelm the healthcare system. Stay at home & Keep your distance.
8. The average stay on a ventilator of someone with C19 is about 28 days. This is especially worrying for the health service as they are very concerned that the ICU could collapse. Already 8 ventilators out of the 20 available in Andorra, are in use.
9. There is a group of Andorran engineers working with Catalans who are manufacturing mechanical ventilators with 3D printers. Meanwhile, the Government is trying to buy some more from around the world.
10. We also need professionals that know how to use them, and more nurses and other healthcare staff to care for the ventilated patients. Which is why the Government is also looking for more healthcare support. (France, Cuba, Russia, Israel and others have been contacted).
11. Joan Martínez Benazet states that, “The struggle in Andorra to deal with # COVID19 is tireless. We must follow the measures of social distancing.”
12. In this very difficult situation, Benazet encourages us to laugh and share funny things from our daily lives with our friends, contacts, neighbours… (Maybe he’s read our Updates? C.A.) Together we will overcome it!
SEE DONATIONS REQUESTS BELOW
LATEST UPDATE FROM GOVERNMENT C19 PATIENT STATISTICS
218 currently positive, up 35 from yesterday. 63 of them healthcare staff
7 firefighters are positive with 19 contacts in quarantine.
1 police officer is positive with some 30 contacts in quarantine
31 cases are in hospital,
8 in ICU, 4 from El Cedre
13 in El Cedre
3 recovered
3 deceased
El Cedre is the only retirement home with residents testing positive.
THE GOVERNMENT
· On its first day, 218 companies have requested the soft credits for a total of 50 million euros. More information at https://t.co/mQf6U7dXT1
· Argentina has stopped repatriation for 2 weeks which is affecting around 2,000 seasonal workers.
· The Government is extending their work permits and is giving them health coverage while here. It is also working for them to go back home when possible. The Government is talking to the Comuns and companies to provide them with food and lodging. As long as the situation persists, Jover has assured them that the comuns will facilitate their living as much as possible. Work is underway to make the owners of apartments and hotels extend their stay until they have a ticket home. They will also be given a 2 month extension of their residence permits.
· 29 Andorrans have been able to return home since the state of alert. 11 Andorrans have their tickets to return. The government is in contact with 16 more citizens and working for them to come back.
· 206 people have registered as unemployed as a result of the health crisis. 54 were on permanent contracts
BANKS & DONATIONS TO GOVERNMENT COVID-19 HEALTH FUND
· The donations will be for healthcare expenses and for the care of the vulnerable.
· Andorran Banking has opened five account numbers specially for donations related to COVID- https://t.co/2JaxfVkcam
Andbank Referència: “GOVERN D’ANDORRA_SARS-Cov-2”
AD22 0001 0000 4147 0480 0100
MoraBanc Referència: “Donacions i ajudes COVID-19”
AD51 0007 0018 0001 5403 9010
Crèdit Andorrà Referència: “Donacions COVID-19”
AD60 0003 1101 1227 9711 0101
BancSabadell d’Andorra Referència: “Ajudes COVID-19”
AD06 0008 0090 3512 0121 7537
Vall Banc Referència: “Donacions COVID-19”
AD90 0025 0001 0112 7109 8626
· The International Club is proposing to create a fund for the same cause.
· UNICEF Andorra will make a preliminary donation of 10,000 euros for the charity fund organized by the government for the health emergency.
TWEETS from Comuns and others.
ENCAMP
· First Comú Council video conferencing where exceptional measures have been approved to ensure the operation of public services and to help alleviate the economic effects of the Covid19 health emergency.
ORDINO
· We remind you that the telephone number 350 502 is at the disposal of seniors for help with shopping for food and basic needs.
ANDORRA LA VELLA
· During the lockdown period for COVID-19 no commercial activity fee will be charged by the Comú nor will people be billed for services not provided, such as kindergartens, art schools and els Serradells
ESCALDES-ENGORDANY
· We launch this reminder in support of the ANDORRA MASCARETES campaign, which is being carried out with great success nationwide. From the Comú we give you sewing instructions to follow, and then collect the ready-made masks. Call 167 or 890 890.
UNOFFICIAL FEEDBACK
· Free daily coronavirus info from the Financial Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/style/self-care/sleep-tips-benefits-coronavirus.html?action=click&module=Editors%20Picks&pgtype=Homepage
Sent in by Patricia.
· DOCUMENTS RUNNIGN OUT? This morning I rang the government administration number 150 (open between 10h – 14h, Monday to Friday), to find out what to do if a driving licence runs out during lockdown. I was told that you can use the car, only for essential shopping, until the lockdown is lifted, after which you must apply at once to have the licence renewed. Remember this can usually be done in your local Comú. I presume this applies to most documentation though renewing ones residencia might be different.
· Dia supermarket in La Massana has an ‘oldie’ shopping hour daily from 9.30h – 10.30h.
· I love the idea of Dyson’s switching from sucking air in with their vacuum cleaners to blowing it out with their ventilators – still to be engineered but probably not that difficult…
· Finding Cinderella A fascinating documentary of musical prodigy, Alma Deustcher – compared by Sir Simon Rattle to just two other composers in history: Mozart and Korngold – and the Vienna premier, when aged 11, of her opera Cinderella. Watch not only her but her 7-year-old sister, Helen, and her remarkably astute comment on Romeo and Juliet. All the background music you hear in the opening moments are from Alma’s own compositions.
Culturally yours,
Clare.
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Look for about the author of the blog Clare Allcard
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Look here for the whole blog “Cultural events in Andorra with Clare Allcard”
See also Andorra travel guide
See also Pyrenees travel guide
See also France travel guide
See also Spain travel guide
