Coronavirus in Vilcabamba, Ecuador

By LADDIED

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Apr 29, 2020 Update

We Asked: What is currently happening with regard to the Coronavirus outbreak in your area? Please provide as much detail as possible. He replied...

The madness continues. We have been under a severe lockdown. The virus has killed about 500, even with inflating the numbers. The people have not been free to move. Buses shut down. Taxis only allowed to run one day a week. People only allowed on the street from 9am till 2 pm. The government does not give any monetary assistance to the people that are locked down and not allowed to work or operate their business. There has not been a virus death for 16 days, but the lockdown continues. No mail, no shipping, not allowed to leave the county. Only one person allowed in a taxi.

The death toll from the lockdown is in the thousands. One of our friends just died because he could not get his medicine. Others reported dead because they were not allowed to go to the hospital for their kidney dialysis. Deaths mounting from domestic violence. Couples that got along under normal circumstances do not do well when they are locked in their home with no money and no food. The central government has now decided to allow the mayors to decide from Monday on. The mayor of the only real city in our province has already announced that he will continue the lock down for another month. We are hoping to hear a better decision from the mayor of our little village. We are lucky that we have adequate food production in our local area that we are allowed to move in. I am hearing that in the less developed countries, there has already been 2 million children that have died from starvation. They are expecting that this will increase to hundreds of millions in the near future.

How People are Coping

We Asked: How are people handling the situation in your area? He replied...

We follow the rules when in public areas. The rest of the time we try to live normally. With the strictest lockdown in the world, and no help from the government, we are trying as a community to make sure that the local people have food. Many good people volunteering to deliver food to poor families and many donating food and money to this operation. Without the public effort, many would die.

Changing Conditions as coronavirus Spreads

We Asked: How has the situation changed as the Coronavirus has spread? He replied...

The corona farce has never been the problem. It is the lockdowns, that are causing thousands to die. The virus has resulted in about 500 deaths, and most of these were at deaths door from other causes. Would have died before the end of the year. I estimate that in our largest city we have had 200 deaths from the virus. The deaths from the lock down are up to 2000 a week and rising. The madness continues. Police and military are controlling traffic between every village, town and province. No movement is allowed between provinces. The police and military are trying to be as gentle and understanding as they can without getting in trouble. Problems are not their fault.

Government Response

We Asked: Describe how the government of the country about which you are reporting is handling this situation. He replied...

They are well fed and doing well, as their people live in desperation and under the burden of the unreasonable restrictions.

Government Response with Regard to Expats

We Asked: Describe how your home country's government has handled the outbreak situation with regards to its expatriate citizens. He replied...

The so-called leaders are continuing the heavy handed and unnecessary restrictions. The heavy handed governors do not want to give up their power to abuse the people. Americans who are not used to this kind of treatment are starting to move freely while their dictators wring their hands and have little tantrums. The president who was being condemned by the fake news service no matter what his decisions, has told the governor's to make the decision. The imminent problem that people are not looking at ye, is the destruction of our food and transportation of such. Across the country, farmers are having to destroy animals that they can not get to market and can not afford to keep feeding. Vegetable crops are being plowed under for the same reason. The people in the cities may soon see the folly of allowing their government to shut the country down, when the to to the markets and find the shelves empty. Decisions have been made that will cause huge problems in the nest few years. The folly of bowing to fake health experts who are daily flooding the news service with the term deadly virus, when this was no more then a mild cold, that most people did not even know they had well be felt for many years. When most people have to be tested to see if they had the disease, it is not very deadly. When we had the real yearly flu, you knew you had it. You did not need a test to know.

Supplies and Shortages

We Asked: Is there a shortage of supplies in your location? He replied...

In our little village there is local production. They are telling us that we are not allowed out of our home if we are over 60 years old, but the local authorities are not enforcing it. There are many healthy older people in our area. They are allowing food producers the freedom to tend and harvest our crops.

Preparing for the Future

We Asked: What are you doing in terms of preparations in case the situation deteriorates in your location? He replied...

The people in our little community are well organised and we are dealing with the situation. Not being able to send or receive mail or packages has been a major problem.. One of our friends just died because he could not get his medicine.

Lockdown & Passing the Time

We Asked: Are you staying home? If so, how are you passing the time? He replied...

We go our to buy groceries and do banking. Local bank closed, but they still put money in the cash machines. We spend our time cooking sharing food with some of our neighbors who have no income. I spend to much time on the net trying to help people understand their situation. and trying to dispel some of the fake news that they keep dumping on people about this deadly virus that no one knows they have had.

Public Healthcare & Public Hospitals

We Asked: Are you enrolled in the public healthcare system where you live? Do you feel that the public hospitals are handling or preparing for the Coronavirus outbreak effectively? He replied...

I am enrolled in the national health care system. This has been very good in the past, but the government has cut the healthcare budget from $400 million to $100 million, and sent 400 highly skilled Cuban doctors home, so the future does not look so good. during this fake virus emergency the virus has taken precedence and many are now dying because they are denied health care.

Private Health Insurance & Private Hospitals

We Asked: Do you have private health insurance? If you have private insurance, does this give you access to private hospitals? Are private hospitals or clinics better prepared, less prepared, or the same? Please explain. He replied...

We have private health insurance available. We have private hospitals. I do not have any personal experience with them.

Hospital of Choice for Coronavirus Treatment

We Asked: Would you choose a public or private hospital if you needed treatment for Coronavirus? Why? If there is a specific hospital that you would go to in the event of severe illness? Which hospital and why? He replied...

I am very healthy. I would not know if I had the virus without being tested. I

Returning Home

We Asked: Are you considering returning to your home country due to the Coronavirus? Would this be a temporary move or a permanent repatriation? Please explain. He replied...

I would not consider returning to my home country. I believe that things could become very bad in the US in the near future. I also could not afford to live in the US. I am looking at other countries.

Advice for People Outside of Vilcabamba, Ecuador

We Asked: If you live in an area already heavily affected by coronavirus, what advice would you share with others elswhere in the world who may be facing the same challenges in the future. He replied...

Tell your government to go to hell and go on with your life as well as possible. If you live in a city, get out and find a place where you can produce your own food. This may not be available in the cities. Make sure you are well armed and that you have a way to protect your home with physical barriers, cameras, and other security devices.

How Government is Treating Expats

We Asked: How is the government of the country where you are currently living treating expats during this time? Have there been any changes or extensions made in terms of residency and and other visa renewals, applications and requirements? Has access to public healthcare been eased? Please describe any types of changes (positive and negative) that are taking place. He replied...

We have been treated the same as citizens. Public health care has deteriorated because of budget cuts and the presidence of vitus patients and others left to die lack of normally available health care. There are a few obnoxious locals, but they are rare. We have been will treated by the locals. No complsints.