What Quarantine is Like in Panama

Jul 12

We've been on a very strict quarantine since mid-March. For the first few days we only had an evening curfew but all non-essential businesses, social areas, parks and beaches were closed. I remember sitting in a cafe sipping a cappuccino and wondering if that would be my last time in a cafe for a while. It was.

It was a bit disconcerting as we approached our quarantine. Stores put up plywood to cover glass doors and there was a marked increase in police presence. Emails from the US Embassy stated if citizens wanted to get out, take action. But I moved here to make it my permanent home. There was no going back. And the situation in the US looked chaotic without leadership and unity.

But as cases increased, mostly in the city, the restrictions tightened even more throughout the whole country. Our airport has been closed since March and the country enacted a dry law, prohibiting the sale and even consumption of any alcohol. People were not happy about that at all. As a non-drinker, it didn’t affect me and I understood why the government took the measure; people don’t make good choices while under the influence.

For a few months now, men and women are allowed out on alternating days and we have a two hour window to get essential shopping done. The time we’re allowed out corresponds to the last digit on our passport. Of course, I’m an eight. Non-morning person, expat in lockdown. I’m barely awake when I make my rounds in the grocery store. There’s always something that smells funky in the store. Then I realize it’s my breath. If there’s an argument for the masks, that’s a good one. Spare others our stinky breath!

I feel secure to see others respecting the social distancing and mask advisories. And I notice myself backing away instinctively when a person encroaches into that six foot safety zone, imagined or real, it’s there.

For the first month or two the stores were out of alcohol gel, sanitizing wipes and bleach. But, we had plenty of toilet paper! Never had a shortage on that. Now, on occasion you’ll see empty shelves, but I think it’s just a matter of stocking and not that the products aren’t available.

Our ID’s were checked before entering the store to make sure we were there during our allotted time. And about a month ago stores started taking temperatures and asking people to step through a shoe sanitizing mat. Alcohol spray or gel is administered as you enter the hardware store, grocery or pharmacies.

After two months, the government allowed us to exercise outside during our window of time, within a mile of our homes. They also lifted the dry-law and currently allow people to purchase limited quantities of alcohol. This has lead to a number of tipsy-typed posts in the expat Facebook groups. I don’t have Netflix, so that’s where I go to watch the comedy and tragedy play out; social media and the news. But I’m trying to limit my exposure. Like a virus, too much of that can make my mind feel sick. I signed up for a few online classes and have completed two, midway through another. And of course there’s my writing.

You’d think a writer in quarantine would produce a prolific amount of material. You’d think. It appears that even quarantine doesn’t cure procrastination.

Some restaurants are open for take-out only. I've mostly been eating peanut-butter and honey sandwiches partly because it’s too hot to make anything else, partly from laziness and partly from my love of peanut butter. Sadly, I don’t know how many restaurants will be able to stay in business. Even with the government’s moratorium on rent, I just don’t see how some of the family owned places can sustain such a prolonged closure.

About a month ago, we had five beautiful days of time freedom when they lifted the two hour window restrictions. It was heaven to be able to run errands at any time of day and get more than one or two things done. We still had an evening curfew, but at least we could move around freely.

Sadly, numbers spiked and we were put back on lockdown. Our daily cases have risen and ranged from 800-1,000. We were at 100 new cases daily when they opened up for us to have more freedom. I think it will be a while before we get back down to that low a number.

There are less strict measures in other provinces but I'm in Panama Oeste province, and even though we are not densely populated, we are lumped in with geographic areas that have high contagion rates. As of today, Panama has had 893 deaths and around 45,000 cases.

People are getting frustrated. It's been interesting to read the range of posts on expat groups, some people desperate to get out, others cheerily asking for advice on how to move here from the US and Canada.

Today I didn’t scroll Facebook or the news. And what a surprise, my mood is elevated! Yes, the quarantine is wearing on me. I’m low-key and likely, a borderline hermit, but even this severity gets to me on occasion. What’s frustrating is all the blatant rule breakers; people strolling the beach, people from the city coming to their weekend homes, men out exercising on women-only days. But I’ve broken the rules, too. I’ve gone for drives into the mountains past my allotted time to be out. So maybe it’s not the rule breaking that bothers me but the fact that people do it so publicly in front of others who are abiding by the rules.

Thankfully, we don’t have the madness that’s created when people don’t understand the science behind the recommendations to wear masks. We do have people who return to work while waiting for their Covid-19 test results. We do have people gathering in large groups. Some have been fined, some made to scrub public buildings and I’m sure others pay a contribution for a pass to drive through provinces. There was some unrest in Colon, where residents weren’t getting the food and/or money promised by the government. And in Arraijan, people took to the highway to block cars from driving through the province. Whether this was for health safety or to have the government give them their stipend, I’m not sure.

But you can see the toll it’s taking on people. The bakery employees so eager to see anyone walk through the door. The pregnant grocery cashier with a mask and face shield. The roadside produce stand owner who shakes his head when asked how he’s doing.

A strange result from the quarantine is that there’s been less communication between those of us who used to go for lunch and meet for coffee or dine at La Parada under the glow of the full moon. It’s as if the idea of talking is too draining to consider doing. Either way, if you talk about life before Covid or what life will be like in the future, it’s exhausting.

I nap more. I do write more. And I’ve been sleeping in later.

It’s been four months since I’ve had any human physical contact. No hugs or handshakes, no massage or pedicure. My ribs ache from the inside out. I don’t think I’ve ever gone this long without physical contact. And I wonder how comfortable will I be about a hug when I’m so observant of my six foot safety zone.

Yesterday, we learned that a group of medical professionals have proposed the government enact a complete fifteen day lockdown. No grocery shopping, no pharmacy, nothing. If they do put that into place, I hope they give us advanced notice so we can stock up. But I doubt they will.

For those of us in the beaches area, it just doesn’t make sense to lock us down when there are so few cases here. But many of us are expats and we don’t have a voice here. Some expats have expressed opinions that the strict measures are only enforced against expats and it’s a scheme to get us out of the country. I don’t believe that’s the case at all. Expats bring not only revenue into the country but also a tremendous amount of aid. Local groups have been procuring and distributing food essentials to poor families who have not received any of the government assistance that was promised. Many families were given $80 for the entire month to provide food to a family of four or more. Recently, that amount was increased to $100, but I don’t believe it is being distributed to all those in need.

Personally, this is a time of reflection. I am often in contemplation about my future vision for my life. I think many people are reevaluating what’s important to them and what their top values are in life. My hope is that we all emerge from this with more inner peace, connection and community. That we collectively bring kindness, acceptance, freedom and love into our hearts, minds and actions. The US is facing a bit more of a crisis with the racial tensions coming to a boil, but the pendulum will often cause chaos as it swings to overcompensate for the hundreds of years of oppressive systems.

I’m still grateful to be here in Panama instead of in the United States. When we are free to move throughout the country, I’ll be relocating to the Chiriqui province, likely to Volcan, where the climate is a bit cooler.