LATEST Covid-19 UPDATES AND EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY as of Monday, 16th March, 2020

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

LATEST UPDATE ON C19 PATIENTS IN ANDORRA.

14 confirmed cases (4 in hospital, the rest at home):

The 87-year-old woman

Her daughter, son, son-in-law

3 teachers

1 Tourist from Madrid

4 medical staff (some more are at the end of preventive confinement)

1 57-year-old man in intensive care.

1 young man.

Plus there are 43 cases waiting for test results. (4 in hospital and 39 confined at home.)

The tourist who had a heart attack and then caught the C19 has died in a Barcelona hospital.

C19 patients will be considered to have been injured at work so they can receive 100% of their salary from day one.

The Government Press Conference was held as a videoconference so that the journalists could participate from home. Government Spokesman, Eric Jover and Health Minister Joan Martínez Benazet were both present. As was David, signing the whole conference for deaf citizens. He received a round of applause at the end.

Joan Martínez Benazet wanted to send a message of serenity to the country’s citizens. “Those who have had contact with a person who has been positively diagnosed have no need to be alarmed.”

Martinez asks for everyone to cut down on social contact (only leaving the house for activities that are absolutely necessary: shopping or going to a health centre). If suffering from mild discomfort – call your doctor. Severe symptoms – call the emergency number 116.

THE GOVERNMENT

Supplies

Eric Jover confirmed that a range of basic necessities is guaranteed. The government asks us to streamline our purchases and limit trips to the supermarket to one person per family.

Alcohol and Cigarettes.

A new decree limits the sale of alcoholic beverages and tobacco to Andorrans and residents only. (Thus further reducing the lure of Andorra for foreign visitors.) The limit per person per day is one carton of cigarettes plus *1 litre bottle of alcohol over 22%, 1 litre bottle of alcohol under 22% and 2 bottles of wine or sparkling wine. (*Note The Iberian Peninsular does not consider wine as alcohol so this refers to Spirits etc.)

The following messages are from Monday’s evening speech by the Cap de Govern.

GOVERNMENT TWITTER FEED

From this Wednesday, and for a period of eight days, all work activities that are considered risky and which, therefore, may lead to an excessive use of health resources, must cease.

Espot announced that the decree would have an effect on construction and related activities, as well as industrial and craft activities. This, he said, is an especially painful decision, “Because Andorra does not have the financial muscle of other countries and because it does not have access to the ECB or the IMF. “Andorra only has us. That is why I reiterate what I asked of you last week: Both from a health point of view and from a social and economic point of view, the principle that must guide our actions is the principle of co-responsibility ”

EDUCATION

Eric Jover said they were introducing a series of measures for education:

– the school registration period is postponed

– official school tests are postponed

– pedagogical activity will be done through the internet and the government will arrange for a home wifi connection and tools for those who do not have them.

COMMUNICATION

The Government has enabled a new, C19, space on their website www.govern.ad where all the press releases, recommendations, measures decreed and other information can be found.

INTERNATIONAL

Tomorrow there is a conference of Ministers from all over Europe and including WHO representatives. It will be clarified whether further measures should be taken with patients once their symptoms are over.

SPAIN

The Spanish border arrangements remain the same as yesterday: cross-border workers will have free passage but need to carry proof of their work with them. People with important medical appointments can also cross but again need to have proof. But for ordinary leisure trips the frontier is closed. All merchandise can come and go freely.

The Spanish Consulate will remain open to attend, in person, to citizens’ transactions.

TWEETS from Comuns and others.

COMUNS

Escaldes, Sant Julià and La Massana are allowing free town parking in blue line zones.

CANILLO

Has closed the Palau de Gel ice rink and forbidden access to the Roc del Quer and are helping the elderly who cannot get out, to shop.

ORDINO

The Comú has made a special telephone line, 350 502, available to the elderly so Social Welfare can attend to possible needs and to help in the purchase of food and medicines. The Ordino library offers a home loan service.

LA MASSANA has closed the Camí Ral

ANDORRA LA VELLA is extending the times allowed for the completion/renewal of procedures and payment of fines.

ESCALDES-ENGORDANY will maintain free access to their open-air car parks for the next 15 days or while the exceptional closing measures are maintained.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ANDORRA continues classes online via their videoconference rooms.

SPORT The majority of sports enthusiasts are continuing to train – at home.

Access to Arcalís and Sorteny has been closed.

VIRTUAL TOURS Fighting boredom? Virtual tours of Andorra’s excellent Museums are available at Entreteniment virtual per front al confinament

ANDORRA TELECOM is postponing payments from businesses in difficulty for the next 6 months.

DIRECTR BUS has reduced its service to Barcelona to two busses a day.

NORDANDORRA

Their customer service office, located at Avenida del Través, 33, La Massana has closed. Instead you can contact them by email to [email protected] or by telephone: 738 445, until the exceptional measures have ended. Nord Andorrà, SA has also agreed to help those companies that need it, by dividing their electricity bills into smaller payments.

FEEDBACK

Walks

I have had several enquiries about whether it is permitted to go for a walk. First it seemed it was and then on Sunday someone said it wasn’t. So then I had this great idea! I rang 188. It worked! So the verdict is that, basically, we should all stay at home BUT walking gently in the mountains away from a group “is not prohibited”. However be careful. It is most important that you don’t injure yourself and add to the burden on the health service. Not much fun for you either…

· Footwear

It has been suggested that you should allocate one pair of shoes for walking outside and leave them at the entrance to you home on your return. In China, where they are winning the fight, they cleaned any germs from the pavements with machines using 75% alcohol.

· Managing the public’s expectations is important.

I received this informative email from Dr Robert Glenning BDS BSc ( Hons Pharmacology ) MFGDP, Dentist

Just wanted to point out that it is most likely that most of us will contract this virus at some point, regardless of the measures taken.

It’s a matter of slowing the spread so the medical facilities are not overwhelmed. This virus cannot be stopped entirely.

Thankfully, although highly virulent, it is not a serious disease for the majority of the population.

Keeping ‘at risk’ groups safe is the priority.

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”

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