Day 1 Madrid Lockdown: Life in the Time of Coronavirus
By: Emilie White
Tags: Spain, Diary, Madrid, Coronavirus

Wednesday 11 March 2020

I started writing daily updates to the family WhatsApp group to keep them informed during the Madrid Coronavirus lockdown. As Spain takes measures before the UK, I share our story for inspiration, as warning, and to help prepare, not panic. They asked me to blog it. Day 1 of lockdown for us starts with school closure on 11 March.

Ok people let’s start getting serious about the Coronavirus.

Madrid has closed schools and many indoor gathering places.

I’m going to keep you updated as it looks like it’s hitting Spain ahead of UK.

The problem with schools is they are a wonderful sharing place for infections. We know this well since we’ve had every virus going since JP started nursery.

So it seems very sensible to close schools. The downside is everyone with kids, and who can, are leaving Madrid to stay with their parents in their hometowns. So risk of spread is higher and risk of passing to the older, most high risk people, is also increased.

Since the announcement on Monday older people are wearing gloves and they had a bit of a panic buy yesterday. These people can cook so they bought sensible products like flour, sugar, rice and chick peas, UHT milk for children and coffee drinkers.

The people wearing masks look a bit ridiculous so far as those who really don’t appear ill raise the stress levels of people around them. They cause suspicion so that’s not going down well.

There’s no hand sanitizer left in Madrid and I’m assuming no masks either.

… My take on this is when they close schools in London similar effects will be seen in Somerset/Bristol. People will leave the city. The same day the supermarkets will be ransacked and you’ll see people come out in masks. The panic is more dangerous than the virus.

Fortunately, so far, Spanish people are very caring and sensible but it doesn’t take much and like in UK, the are self-serving politicians willing to rile people up. In the UK social media and media misinformation is stronger so be vigilant.

Please share your experiences so we can support each other.

Brother 3: “A bit concerned where this all could lead..In the meantime, I think we should stop visiting the more mature members of our society….so I suggest not visiting mum and dad for a while” Mother: 😰 Brother 3: “Not just for mum and dad’s sake but also for their older and more vulnerable friends and acquaintances which I presume they’ll still be in contact with”

Me: The message from my friends in Italy is not to underestimate this. There, like here, the mood changed from “everything will be fine, they are exaggerating” to great concern and major restrictions one day to the next.

Brother 3: I wouldn’t go to crowded areas now for a while. Maybe they should be preventing people going to sporting events etc….but they say people would then crowd into pubs to watch it which would be worse…? Anyway, nothing stopping u from watching it at home….. although you may have to sign up to Sky or BT sport 😜” Brother 1: I’ve just come home from pub ??😬😬 Brother 3: Don’t panic!!!! As long as you have a couple of spirit shots to sterilise everything, you’ll be alright!

Me: The major issue is effect on the health system. They are concerned here of being overwhelmed and the health workers are understandably very worried. J was asked not to attend his pre-booked routine check up appointment in order to free up the time of the doctors and nurses.

The problem then is that everyone who has conditions or gets ill for anything else will risk not getting seen. Our experience of the NHS was extremely bad before the virus so I think it will be very tough for people who get sick in the next few weeks/months.

I got most of my check-ups done in the last few weeks because I thought this might happen. I was surprised they found a Vitamin D deficiency given all the sunshine in the last two months. They gave me an industrial strength pill to take once a month. Everyone in the UK is advised to take Vitamin D. It is linked to healthy immunity.

When I say everyone, I mean in general, you need to check on it. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

In Italy they just announced a total shutdown. Here’s the message from my friend: “We just got the message that from tomorrow we have a total shut down, only food supply and pharmacies stay open, everything else is gonna be closed”.

I don’t know what it will be like in UK, but could be a sign of things to come.

Mum: We are expecting a new phase announcement tomorrow! Brother 3: I think we should adopt to precautionary principle…….And download lots of box sets in readiness. That was a serious point. Doubt very much NHS will cope if get to a situation any where near Italy’s. Dad: Calling offsprogs. I’ve sent you an email which is helpful

Me: Here’s a good source for answers to questions on Coronavirus from Harvard, updated yesterday: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus-resource-center

Here is the Stanford equivalent, but it’s aimed towards their own community and less easy to read: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/stanford-health-care-now/2020/novel-coronavirus.html

Here’s an article about the fake email: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/03/theres-a-facebook-coronavirus-post-going-viral-claiming-to-be-from-stanford-dont-believe-it/

Here are some tips from Harvard on recognising fake news: https://www.summer.harvard.edu/inside-summer/4-tips-spotting-fake-news-story

We can also respectfully fact check for each other if anyone has doubts.