Virus

[pilgrim]

We got home to UK last week, no checks for health or immigration at Gatwick. UK must be the easiest country to get in to! It is a joke. Anyways guy behind us on the plane coughing! I hope he put a tissue to his mouth but who knows. Next day I have sniffles, don't think it is the Virus as have been checking the symptoms. But who knows! Heathrow is the same, but worse as busier, and they descend to the tube and travel into London, absolutely crazy.
It seems that Tenerife strict protocol has limited or prevented any further outbreaks, so well done to them.
We were planning to return early May, but have decided to pull back before we book to see what is happening in the future.
I think this Pandemic will spread to back to Canaries and every where else. So will plan day to day, and maybe holiday closer to home, somewhere like Cornwall after Easter this year. Then maybe Ireland or Scotland this summer.

[Davymar]

We are still out here, we were plannng to go to kalamata at the end of may, we will probably put that on hold until we see what happens, we have flights booked for kefalonia in september, we can only wait and see what happens by then, worst case is, we lose our money and holiday.

[unhappy]

The problem is nobody knows, we are due to fly home on the 29th following 3 great months here that's if the flight is Ok & the UK allow us in, other countries are already closing borders

Spoke to my sister in law yesterday who lives in Kalamata no problems she says.

My brother in law is coming over to the UK next month from Austraila to stay with us and then onto Florence & Naples for a holiday we don't know what to do, anything could happen.

I do hope every country send a bill to China who could have stopped this happening.

[Georgie]

For the first time in my life I have been ask to work from home due to the virus

It must be serious

[losjack]

Can I get my UK prescription filled in Tenerife?

[Mary]

All flights to the Canary Islands,Balearics,and mainland Spain cancelled. They have turned several jet2 aircraft around mid flight and returned to uk. Jet2 are currently working on repatriation for their clients currently on holiday.

[unhappy]

Losjack I forgot my blood pressure tablets once went to a local doctor told him my tablets he gave me a prescription did not charge me and the pharmacy had the tablets which you do have to pay for

[pilgrim]

Many years ago, our luggage ended up still back at Gatwick, due to a strike. Stupidly we had 3 types of UK prescription drugs in them. We went to the little chemists alongside Green Corner, and the old fella just gave us replacements no questions asked! It was the one and only time we ever brought cases out! Typical!

[Dolly Diver]

This nightmare situation just got worse.  As we come within Spanish law Tenerife and the other Canary Islands are in lockdown from Monday 8am for 15 days

You are only allowed out for essential purposes eg supermarket or pharmacy, all businesses including bars and restaurants have to close.  The police have full power to enforce this.

Read the full info here in English  https://www.janetanscombe.com/area/news

[Georgie]

Same for us the man and his daughter are very good for prescription drugs and also the one in playa arena

[Georgie]

Also my friends are in adjeje and there will be an announcement tonight if the bars will close until further notice

[Davymar]

This nightmare situation just got worse.  As we come within Spanish law the Canaries is in lockdown from Monday 8pm for 15 days

You are only allowed out for essential purposes eg supermarket or pharmacy, all businesses including bars and restaurants have to close.  The police have full power to enforce this.

Read the full info here in English  https://www.janetanscombe.com/area/news

          dolly, i have just looked at the spanish version, it says the lockdown starts monday 8am not 8pm, i could be wrong, but thats how i read it.

Thank you for pointing that out.  Yes, it is from 8AM Monday. DD

[pilgrim]

Think I would start heading for the supermarket, and get some booze in!

[Davymar]

Think I would start heading for the supermarket, and get some booze in!

       already done that!   We are due to fly home on tuesday  ( providing sleazyjet comes to pick us up)  so it should not affect us too much, got to feel sorry for those just arrived, plus the bars and restaurants that will lose out.

[unhappy]

Pilgrim, sshhh went to Mercadona in pa this morning you would think the world was coming to an end, shopped and did not half fill half a small trolley took us 30 mins to pay for our food, my wife went yesterday the shelves were empty

People with 2 trollies,  toilet rolls galore, but none on the shelves,  leaving we meet a Spanish senior gentleman in the lift he said in 30 years he had never seen anything like it,  people have gone crazy.

Trying to buy some newspapers as we have only ONE TOILET ROLL LEFT never mind at least we are well at the moment, just a bit worried we are due to fly home to the UK on the 29/03, hay ho  isn't life fun at 73 why should we worry and the SUN is still shining.

[pilgrim]

My brother is on the last flight back to UK for Menorca, everything is already closed and in lockdown!
I hope your flight is okay for Tuesday Davymar, a close call I would say!
And unhappy try the small local shops, I confess I have done this here at home, and bought up bog rolls and kitchen towels to my shame, my family laughed at me. But they are happy now!
Stay safe, apparently using alcohol is as good a hand gel. I have never drunk hand gel, so make sure you stock up on the booze!

[AWOL]

I think the Lockdown started at Midnight Saturday (last night).

Have a look at the Tenerife webcams. It is a sad sight.

Keep safe EVERY ONE WHEREVER YOU ARE.

AWOL

[losjack]

Thank you Unhappy and Pilgrim your info re prescriptions has put my mind at rest

[nophead]

We were due to fly home on Thursday 19th but Easyjet have cancelled the flight . Now we have to wait until tomorrow to try to book on one of their "rescue" flights. This is the second time it was cancelled because it was originally with Thomas Cook! Hopefully third time lucky!

We printed our boarding cards a month ago at a local print shop but now we will need new ones and won't be able to go there now. I think we will have to download Easyjet's app on our phones and trust it to work in the airport. I don't like retail companies running their software on my phone.

My wife can't return her library books so we might be info a big fine when we get back here!

[nophead]

Well it turns out our original flight that was cancelled was on the list of "rescue" flights that we could "switch" to. So we switched to the same flight and checked in again. The only thing that changed was our seat numbers and the flight number went from EZY1902 to EZY9902. It is at the same time so our taxi arrangements stand.

Fortunately our neighbour has a printer so they kindly printed new passes for us.

It looks like the last Easy Jet flights out are on the 20th. Not sure how people get home after that.

[Davymar]

We were due to fly home on the 17th at 1'10 pm, they have cancelled that flight, but gave us a free transfer to the 18'55 pm flight, what anoys me is the fact that if i had not checked they never let me know, and the flight is now full anyway,   regarding boarding passes, easyjet send them by email if you ask, then they are already on the phone, no need to download their app, good luck!

[unhappy]

At least you are getting some info Ryanair are just saying flights cancelled until 19th although Spain's lockdown is until the 29th the day we are due to fly home.

A little more info would help RYANAIR, at least the madness at the supermarkets has died down, but still shortages, now security guard's and you have to keep your distance from each other.

[Davymar]

We saw a brit couple fill up 3 trolleys at super dino on the hill yesterday, never seen it so busy!    The supermarket with all the bottles in the window, opposite sangria bar, when you enter, you have to wash your hands with the gel on the counter, then they give you a pair of gloves to wear, seems to have quietened down now, they have plenty of wine we will not be content until we have taken off for home!

[unhappy]

Yesterday small queue at Lidl but they were allowing only a few people in at one time, told by a member of staff rudley to put some gloves on, which you would of thought they would have been by the door but they were not, only to see another member of staff loading shelves, guess what no gloves or mask on.

I only went in for a couple of pints of milk, wish I had not bothered, don't like the shop anyway, the Mercadona staff are much more pleasent and helpful.

[Georgie]

At least you have the sun

All delivery from supermarkets have been cancelled by supermarkets and went to tesco today and there was nothing left

[unhappy]

Yes the sun is shining, glad we are not in a hotel or tourist complex they have closed the swimming pools and entertainment, stuck in you room all day  "nice holiday", only problem Spain have now enforced a close border policy nobody in nobody out, except business or flights home

We rented our house local we have a lovely patio,large garden and fantastic views of the ocean we can walk to the supermarket in minutes.

Have spoken to the renters and they have said we can stop until we can get a flight home up to now we have it rented until the 02/04 but have booked flights on the 29/03, we have had a little more info from Ryanair today no email to just general info, they really need to do better, Mr O'leary must be crying in his beer.

Went to Mercadona this morning no queues, no toilet rolls, chilled cabinet very low and Pilgrim some of the wine is out of stock.

[nophead]

Seems to be going the same way at home as well. Not certain but I think we may be told to go into 14 days self isolation when we get back and not even allowed to go out to buy food.

There seems to be no exit plan from this mess. If everything continues to be locked down the world economy will collapse in weeks.

[blarer]

Does anyone know if La Miel is regarded as a vital service and is still open ?

[nophead]

If you mean the place in Playa Arena it has been closed for months, sometime last year I think.

[Georgie]

Went to aldi in essex and there was nothing left

We were only looking for eggs and tin tomatoes