Hi, Portugal here. My country, as should you know from the news, a few weeks ago had one of the higher cases per 100.000 in the world. This is due to late government decisions about the higher risk contact tracing. It is amazing how cientists keep saying how important it is to keep distance, avoid family and friends grouping, and the government just didn't care. Due to this we had, two weeks ago, almost all of the hospitals in the country reaching their limit, some of the reach the limit needed to sent sick people to other hospitals, even for the islands. Cues of ambulances to enter the hospitals with no place for the sick people, many of them had to be assisted in the ambulances. It is very sad and dramatic to see. Like being said by specialists: "the problem is that, despite all the advertisement, the government is not ahead of the pandemic, is folowing the pandemic..."
Due to this the country is now all closed. I've been working from home. No one of my family had Covid. In january my two sons were sent home from school as the they had contact with positive friends. They were ok. Some of my friends already get Covid. They recover well. One of my friends parents are still in hospital ventilated. They are 65 with no deseases associated. Very sad. This was another thing, specialists advertise that school must closed because of two main reasons: it is a contact focus to spread the virus, and it puts, right in the morning, three milion people on the streets! On the last two weeks of january, before all school closings, the virus cases in schools had start grouing exponentialy. School were starting closing naturaly with children and teachers staying at home with Covid. This is when the government decided do close the schools and the country.
Since last march that we don't go to a supermarket. We order everything online. And we eat vegetables from what my litle farm give us.
I'm lucky enought to work in stable job, but there are many people going through hard times. Portugal is a country that economy lives mostly form tourism, and all the restaurants, hotels, gift stores, museums...are all closed. The Food Programe had a demanding increase from more 50% with people asking for food help. It is very sad. This lockdown is planned until to the end of March.
Fortunately, this week numbers are decresing a lot. But the hospitals are still passing bad times. Hopping the coutry back to normal soon, with precaution. Hopping the government won't be making on Easter the same mistakes tha made in Christmas, allwoing everyone to circulate freely in the country at that time. And hopping we get the vacine soon.
I dont see my family for a long time now, from October, only zoom meetings.
I think not geting the Covid is just luck. Even staying at home it could come in one of the shoppings we orders. We have lots of careful sanitizing everithing but I don't believe we can get everything 100% clean. We do our best, for everyone.
Keep Safe!