Coronavirus Around the World – Mexico

Introduction – Coronavirus in Mexico

OTL City Guides are designed to be the go-to for all kinds of lifestyle information. However, we never thought we’d be sharing stories about life during a global pandemic like the effects of the Coronavirus in Mexico, and around the world.

Unfortunately, lifestyle these days seems to completely revolve around the Coronavirus COV-19 crisis. Most of us are in the category of either being cooped up at home (the lucky ones!) or on the front lines of the pandemic response. It can be easy to forget that we’re not the only ones going through this, so we’ve asked writers from around the globe, like Areli, a young writer from Mexico, to share their observations and experiences.

For stories from other locations, be sure to visit our Coronavirus blog, as we’re gathering personal perspectives from a variety of locations. A few of our recent additions include stories from the UK and Pakistan.

Coronavirus in Mexico – People are Finally Starting to take it Seriously

By Areli C.

Coronavirus has taken us unprepared in ways we didn’t even realize at first.

The news from all around the world is telling us how lethal this virus is, with people from all countries taking precautions. Every person knows the measures we have to take and how important it is to do as much as possible to help each other. And of course, here in Mexico, we’re not the exception.

Slow changes

In the beginning, the only thing that changed was that the schools closed. Even when we heard a lot of information and news about it, we didn’t take it seriously. Almost everyone continued their normal activities as it was.

Restaurants and cafés were working as usual. Markets were full of groceries of all kinds, and the street looked completely normal. But the days passed, and the news became more pressing about the preventions. But still, that didn’t change much more.

The shift

And then, the news started reporting things that hit closer to home. We started to know about the cases here in Mexico, and even victims in our city. That’s was when we actually saw the change. Companies sent their people home, shops closed, and sneezing in public became an issue.

Everyone is not on the same page

Some people are not taking this seriously. They are the ones who can´t see or don’t want to, how this can impact us. I’ve seen some who were sent home, taking quarantine like they were on vacation. They don’t listen about the cautions; they are not staying home like people from other places.

Unfortunately, not everyone is watching over symptoms and doing their best to keep themselves safe. Instead, they are getting together with friends and family every weekend, going around the city, and even deny any kind of preventing measure.

Sad news

Poverty and insecurity are taking a huge role in this situation too.

Most people don’t have the money to buy food and supplies for the quarantine, and the people that have it are buying things that they might not be able to use completely.

In some cities in Mexico, people are attacking nurses and doctors, setting fire on hospitals, and saying that people are getting infected because of the doctors, nurses and the people that are actually taking care of us.

We are getting prepared for when loots start to appear.

Heroes emerge

Right now, I have to admit, that everything looks messed up. We see on social media a lot of messages trying to make us realize how important it is that every one of us does our best to be safe, to keep our distance, and use every action we already know.

But it’s not fair to say just bad things, because there’s a lot of people who are fighting this virus every day, with all the energy they have. They are working at hospitals, markets, streets, and even from their homes to make sure we get through this, with the least amount of victims.

Holding out hope

I know every country, every city, every house in the entire world is fighting in a unique way against this virus, and with the situations that came with it.

From here, from Mexico, things temporarily look terrible. But we know it will not be forever. This will finish one day, thanks to doctors, nurses, students, children, mothers, and fathers that keep doing what they can and even more to help.