How Chiclayo, Peru is Dealing with Covid 19

Peru's population of 32 million ranks 8th in number of Covid 19 cases with 849,371 total cases, and 33,305 deaths. Chiclayo, located on the Pacific Ocean coast is Peru's fourth largest city with a population of 552,508. It is Maribel's home town and the city where I lived for nine years up to 2017. We still have many friends and family members there so try to keep up with what's happening. 

Maribel's son Brian works full time as a business administrator, and recently started working weekends as well as a census taker. I saw this as an opportunity, if Brian could and would do it, to to find out what Chiclayanos and those in the surrounding villages thought about the virus and how they were handling it. Brian did a good job of interviewing during the census taking, and shared his findings with me.

First, regarding Covid 19, given the responses Brian was given they show that people are people no matter where they live. There is a national mandatory mask mandate, but some follow it while others ignore it. Police are apparently not enforcing the mandate. Public transportation vehicles, combies, vans, taxies and busses are required to have plastic separators, and to disinfect regularly, as shown below. Some are...some aren't

Restaurants also need to follow regulations, including wearing protective gear and regularly cleaning. I noticed that in many of the photos Brian sent, those people dealing with the public wore full face shields and protective suits. I haven't seen that in the states. In the few restaurants we've been to here in Georgia, about half the employees weren't even wearing masks, and in the antique shops almost none of the proprietors. 

Regulators are especially stringent for medical providers. Pictured below is my Chiclayo dentist Amalia on the left and the technician Luz. I'm waiting for a response from Amalia as to how inhibiting it is to work in those spacesuits.

This family and their home are typical of people living in the smaller cities, in this instance Monsefu. It is typical at this time to wear masks in the home, and always when out of doors. Brian is doing the interviewing.  

Street venders will be working rain or shine, Covid or not. And even they are carful about wearing masks and handling food correctly. 

Many of the financial functions we do here are through the internet or at the point of purchase, but in Peru many of those functions are forced through a bank. One of my biggest headaches in Chiclayo was having to go to a bank, where there are always long lines to pay utility bills and other transactions. 

Social distancing has made that problem even larger. The people below are waiting for their turn to enter the bank. That line (cola in Spanish) could wind around and extend for several blocks.

Brian summarized what was told him by saying that many people are being extremely cautious about the virus, though some are disregarding it. He noted that Peruvians are aware that there have been Covid 19 parties in the USA, and said that some in Lima also have parties.

Chiclayanos in general feel that President Martin Vizcarra is doing a good job in dealing with the virus, though cries of corruption are often heard from the opposing political parties. Surprisingly to me, the Chiclayanos Brian spoke with did not have personal views on Donald Trump or the election. Most said they were not informed enough to have an opinion, but some commented that they thought he is a racist, and a few said when he was quarantined in the White House he deserved it. 

Peru's borders are still closed. Rumor has it that they will open up for international travel in December. Maribel and me are eager to see our family again...it's been three years for me, but even if the border opens it will again be a decision just like here as to how much risk we're willing to take.