As with much of the world Paraguay is all but closed for business as the out break of Coronavirus continues to spread.
Last week after a second case was reported the government declared that all schools were to shut for 14 days and that all sports, concerts, meetings and other gatherings were to be suspended. Whilst this may sound a little extreme for just a couple of cases the fact is that all but the smallest of out breaks might be too much for the countries healthcare system to cope with.
In addition to these measures the countries airports have been virtually shut down and quite possibly restrictions on the land borders are being considered.
The current government advice is to stay at home unless you really have to go out and that if you do to keep your distance from everyone else.
That distancing runs contrary to the Paraguayan nature where people don’t have concerns about personal space, and so always stand close together and are constantly shaking hands and touching as a form of social bonding.
Another difficulty is the requirement to cease the most Paraguayan of rituals, the sharing of terere. Never would a day pass without the sharing of terere and the passing round of the cup and silver straw. Now though in these unprecidented times even actions that define a people are suspended.
I am away from Asunción but from what I have seen and heard the streets of that normally busy city have fallen silent. There are also reports the along with the virus the craze for panic buying has arrived.
Fortunatly I am far from that here in Piribebuy. Living in the countryside it is not unusual to see no one for a day or two at any time of year. The only noticable difference so far is the silence.
It is normally pretty quite around here but there is far less traffic heading up and down the dirt track and so an absense of vehicle noise. In addition to this with less people going out the radios have also fallen silent.
One positive is natures response filling the air with nothing but that sounds of birds and insects and the rustling of the trees in the breeze.
To judge how all these measures were affecting the countryside I took a trip into Piribebuy yesterday and to it’s supermarket. What I found pleasently surprised me. There were more customers than normal in the shop, but no panic buying and no empty shelves. Glancing around from trolley to trolley they looked to filled with normal shopping rather than survival supplies.
This though has just been the first week and whether schools do open on time or whether further measures are taken remains to be seen.
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