translated from Spanish: Cuba beaches are full of visitors and authorities alert for Covid-19

Havana, Cuba.- Tired after several months of confinement, in the middle of a summer in full sun and after government restrictions subsided, thousands of Cubans rushed to the beaches despite warnings from the authorities that the danger from the new coronavirus has not disappeared. The inhabitants of the island took advantage of a gradual flexibilization of quarantine to spend the day lying on the sand in towels, makeshift chairs and even cartons, with music at full volume and children running around.
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Some wore masks but others broke the mandatory rule of wearing it and most placed it under the chin so they could drink, eat or talk to their neighbors with an umbrella a few centimeters.” You always have to win and lose, as long as we protect ourselves everything is fine,” She told The Associated Press, Diana Milagros Medina, a 20-year-old nurse who was on East Beaches, 10 kilometres from the capital, along with several cousins, uncles and her boyfriend.

Cuba reported six new contagions on Wednesday, which added 2,438 since the pandemic began on March 11. So far 87 people have died and more than 200,000 diagnostic tests have been performed. Many provinces on the island have reported no cases for a month although in Havana contagions do not cease. Unlike many Latin American nations, Cuba – with 11 million inhabitants – managed to contain the advance of COVID-19. Chile, with 18 million inhabitants, has reported nearly 320,000 cases and more than 7,000 deaths to date.

Cubans relax in Playa del Salado in Caimito, Artemis province, Cuba. Photo: AP

The Cuban health authorities implemented a series of measures from the end of March such as the closure of borders for tourists, the strict isolation of their citizens returning to the island, a mild quarantine – many places closed but circulation was always allowed – and the search house by doctor and students to detect people with symptoms. In turn, the population was empted against meningococcal to increase defences and homeopathic substances were delivered with the same objective. On the island the health service is completely free. The use of minions became mandatory and public transport, cultural activities and classes were suspended, among other activities. Given the good results, the government decided to implement a three-phase flexibilization plan that began in the provinces in mid-June but was recently added by Havana on July 3. Public life began to normalize although commercial flights remain suspended, leaving the island without foreign tourism, one of the strongest sectors of the Cuban economy. Because classes will only begin in September, many families chose to enjoy the newly reopened beaches.” We feel safe,” Nelson Gonzalez, a 26-year-old barber who took his son to Playas del Este, told AP as nelson Gonzalez sunbathed.

Thousands of Cubans are crowding the beaches. Photo: AP

Orestes Llanes, coordinator of control of the Havana government, reported that only on Sunday were imposed in the capital 1,561 fines – 452 of them in Playas del Este – for not respecting the rules to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus such as not having the blowks well put.” The problem is with what we have been referred to that happened this weekend on the beaches of Havana… and there was a great agglomeration,” the director of Epidemiology, Francisco Durán, said during a virtual press conference. “I don’t think closing the beaches is the solution.” However, Durán acknowledged that “the habit we have (the Cubans) to share the same glass, the same bottle for drinks, the affectionate thing on top of the other, that does have its risk.” The high turnout to the beaches was not only seen in the capital. In Varadero, where thousands of people came mostly from Havana, after the authorization to move from the capital inland, there were some crowds in hotels, the AP said. It caught the eye not to hear foreign accents or to see the usual Canadian, German and Russian tourists bathing in the turquoise waters of Varadero. However, open resorts – at 50% of capacity – were at full capacity. The government indicated that it will keep domestic tourists in hotels separate from international ones and authorized charter flights with foreign visitors from 1 July, but so far none have arrived on the island.
We must continue to struggle with this until, between coercive measures and public awareness, we achieve a consistent behavior like that required according to the situation of the pandemic,” Durán warned.

You may also be interested:Cuba adds 6 new coVID-19 cases, for a total of 2,438 Habana flexes restrictions for coronavirusWhen initiates “new normal” with the challenge of overcoming economic crisis



Original source in Spanish

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