Ostatnia aktualizacja: 2020-09-21. Autor: Milena

My dear, I try to show you a lot of positive things that can help us live as normally and make plans as normally, although we still don’t know when we will implement these plans. But now a few serious words about #coronavirus, straight from the heart. First, there will be a description of the situation in which we are currently in the Azores and Portugal, later – a request to you.

Tonight, the Portuguese government introduced a state of emergency

For the first time since the dictatorship was overthrown in Portugal. What does this state of emergency mean? That the government can limit many of our rights for our own safety. For example, it can order us to quarantine. Can order the closing and opening of enterprises. Can right to requisition of private property for use in healthcare, for example. It can make us work where we are most needed at the moment, e.g. in a hospital. Can prohibit public gatherings. Can suspend flight connections.

We have closed schools, kindergartens, museums, cinemas, gyms, etc. for several days in the Azores, by the decision of the autonomous Azorean government. Most public institutions are closed and those that are not closed work remotely whenever possible. We have recommendations on keeping a distance in stores and limits on the number of people served. Most restaurants, pubs, cafes are closed or offer only home delivery. Most SATA Azores Airline flights were already suspended last week. From today, there are no planes flying to the archipelago, from the archipelago and between the islands in the archipelago, except for transport flights and cases of force majeure. There are no ferries other than transport and those related to force majeure.

And we are waiting for more ordinances, today the Portuguese government is to announce them, in connection with the imposition of a state of emergency.

In the Azores, at the moment when I am writing this, we have only 1 confirmed case of #coronavirus and two waiting for independent lab tests results. But in mainland Portugal, the number of cases is growing rapidly.

My appeal – stay the f*** home

And now an appeal from me – stay the f*** home. Don’t travel now and don’t plan to travel in the near future. The peak of the virus in Portugal is expected to be at the end of April or mid-May at the latest. We already had closed schools in the Azores, and the continent was full of tourists on the beaches. I know that the weather was favorable, I wanted to go swimming too. But this is not about the health of one or two people. This is not just about your health. It’s about the health and life of us all.

I hate staying home, but I’m staying the f*** home. I am staying, although I would probably gently undergo the virus, I have a strong organism. I’m staying home because I know I could infect someone’s grandmother or someone’s child. I am staying home because I know it’s our best weapon right now. If we can stay at home, we don’t risk not only our health, but also others’ health. We don’t expose to the virus the doctors we need to take care of those in need. We do not expose to the virus the pharmacists who go out to work every day for our comfort. We do not expose to the virus sellers who provide us with food necessary for life.

It drives me crazy

And yes, many businesses are doing badly now. Or hopelessly. The Azores government has announced specific financial assistance to enterprises, but not everyone will get it. And not all over the world. There are many people who have to go to work, or else they will have no way to feed their children. Out of respect for them – let’s stay at home. We really don’t have to plan your vacation right now. And if we had already planned it – nothing will happen if we don’t go.

It drives me crazy when I see the questions: „Is it safe in the Azores, can I go there? I’m afraid they’ll cancel my flight.” I want to brain somebody. The islands are safe as long as they are isolated. Today it is still impossible to fly here, but a few days ago tourists would still get off the planes and complain that they couldn’t go anywhere or see anything, because everything was closed. And oh, no one wants to take them on a trip around the island.

I still really hope that this is just a lack of education and understanding of the subject. Lack of awareness that not only others can be a threat to us, but we can also be a threat to others. That just because we have no symptoms does not mean that we do not „sell” the virus to everyone we contact.

The Azores will need you

Let’s not travel now, let’s wait for the end of this madness. May it come quickly. When it’s all over, countries like Portugal, places like the Azores will need you badly! Lots of people make their living here from tourism. At the moment they lost their only source of income. They don’t sit at home and celebrate time with their loved ones, they are not happy that they could finally stop and start that incredible journey to their inner selves. No. They wonder whether they will be able feed their children.

We are privileged

Think about them. And think about those for whom daily life is our quarantine. About people chained to beds. About refugees. About people in war-torn countries. We are in a privileged position that we can hope that it will end soon and we will return to normalcy as such. Others are not so lucky.

But for us to really get back to normal, we must stay the f*** home. There is a state of emergency in Portugal. I will tell you that it feels a bit like martial law, only without the army on the streets. I don’t want martial law. I don’t want my rights to be restricted. I want to open my travel company as planned and welcome you here in the Azores. And when it passes, I will really count on you. Because I know that the Azores are awesome. And I want to share them with you.

I want to see my family

I want to be able to see my family faster than next year. I want to be able to go climbing and yoga. I want to be able to go hiking. I want to be able to hug and kiss my loved ones. I want to go for a walk without fear that because of my walk, someone with a weakened immune system will die.

But for this to happen, we have to stay the f*** home. Netflix isn’t really that bad, you know? And on the YouTube, there are a lot of tutorials with various exercises. Please, let us be kind to ourselves. And for each other. Now is the time to show that we are good people and that we really care about others. Please, #stayhome