Pandemic Diary V

On Friday the Governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro Ramírez, put out a video telling people to stay home for the next five days.

The gist of his comments is that statistical analysis from the University of Guadalajara suggests that the next five days (starting from last Friday) are critical for slowing the spread of this virus, so everyone should self-quarantine.

I've been doing that, going out only for a walk on the malecon each morning, where I'm able to keep a safe distance from others.

But that's not the case, from what I have seen, among many in Ajijic.

Saturday morning at a small local market not far from my house

I've seen people out and about as I've taken my walk, milling about in the street. I talked to a friend who lives next to a bar, and she said they had a live band last night. I see people playing basketball. I think people aren't taking this seriously enough. And I wonder how things will look here in Ajijic in a couple of weeks when people start getting sick. I just hope I am not among the ones who need medical care if and when I get infected.

I talked to my contractor yesterday and told him I am worried, but he said his team will work fast, will wear masks, and will use hand sanitizer. I will unlock my door and gate before they arrive in the morning, and I will seclude myself away from where they're working. And I'll clean and disinfect all the areas they might touch at the end of each day.

I don't know when I will get a haircut again. My hair could get very long before this is over.

But I don't need to use deodorant or hair gel, and I don't have to shave (at least not every day).

Meanwhile, the Mexican peso has taken a big hit, losing more than 20% of its value in the last few weeks. It means my dollars will go farther (I used to get 19 pesos to the dollar, but now I can get 24), but it won't be good news for Mexicans when their buying power goes down, especially since they will be struggling just to stay afloat as more businesses shut down.

My life in quarantine is pretty lonely, but as I think I said in a previous post, I have a pretty high threshold for boredom, so I am managing well. I am playing some online bridge with a few of my regular partners here, writing and reading, and watching plenty of Netflix. Last night I finished Toy Boy, the Spanish murder mystery surrounding a male stripper in the Costa del Sol which I wrote about (and shared a picture of) in a previous post and which I'd give a solid B. It's kind of surreal watching TV now, though. Whenever characters touch or kiss or hug or just get close, I have a strange reaction, like they shouldn't be doing that, before I realize this was a different time and OMG how quickly social norms have changed!

I've gotten started on emptying out my kitchen, and I'll finish that this evening. I cooked up two big pots of pasta, and I have a lot of other stuff that doesn't require cooking other than a microwave. If all goes well, I'll have my new kitchen in two weeks.

If all doesn't go well, who knows what will happen in two weeks...