Virus

[Georgie]

I hope everyone is ok and healthy

The food shortage in essex seems to be improving

What is it like for those in los gigantes

[unhappy]

nophead, which planet do you live on, you say you have been over here from Oct & you left in March an expensive time over Christmas & New Year, yet you are scrimping & freezing food to last you the rest of the year, that you could give to your neighbours or those in need let alone stockpiling food.

Georgie, Talking to our friends in the UK they say we are better off staying here, there is no problem getting food no stortages, no queues, had to go to the pharmacy to day with my wife due to no flights until late April
or the 1st of May because we did not have enough medication to last I got 3 different blood pressure tablets that i take the same as I get in the UK 5.25 euro for a months supply for all the 3 tablets the NHS is being ripped off.

The weather has gone a little cooler but still walking around in tee shirt & shorts ( not a pretty sight ) so the wife says, but it is very quite no noise no traffic still allowed to go out to the supermarkets & pharmacies, the buses are running as are the taxis. The only draw back all the restaurants are all closed

[angiebabes]

Like unhappy we have opted to stay in in Tenerife and witnessing the complete stupidity of some Brits back in UK we are so glad we did. Yes, we are isolating, haven’t been out for eight days, but we do,Pilates, walk round apartment for ten minutes x three times daily, jigsaws, cleaning, ukelele, Spanish and the day passes i the sunshine in our balcony. Our neighbours are so supportive so we are very lucky. The unnerving thing is the eerie silence which does sometimes get to me, but a gin and tonic solves that problem. Take care and stay safe inside, it will pass xx

[nophead]

We have our own apartment, so it doesn't cost any more to stay longer. No idea when we will see it again though.

There are no real food shortages where we live in the UK, just milk and toilet rolls tricky to get. We have plenty of the latter as we buy them in bulk from Costco normally.

We grow our own food in the summer, make it into meals and freeze it when it crops faster than we can eat it, and then use it the autumn and spring. I don't think that is hoarding and we do normally give stuff to our friends.  Probably not this year as we wont see them.

When we are in Tenerife we walk several miles a day. We don't have a car but we range from Playa San Juan to Santiago Del Teidi and keep fit and we always go everywhere together.

Lock down would soon make us fat and unfit. Currently we can still walk as far as we want in the UK, can shop together, etc. The only things shut are bars, restaurants and a few shops.

It is bright and sunny here and there are more people out and about than normal. Partly because it is the first nice weather and probably because they fear a lockdown might be coming. I don't think you catch things from people you walk past outside otherwise we would be permanently ill.

And the day is now longer than Tenerife which is why we returned around the equinox.

The approach seems to be different in the UK. Tell the elderly and infirm to isolate themselves and let the rest catch it and build up herd immunity to stop the epidemic. I don't see any plan of what Spain will do to end the lockdown. Unless there is a vaccine it will need to last forever.

[Davymar]

Like unhappy we have opted to stay in in Tenerife and witnessing the complete stupidity of some Brits back in UK we are so glad we did. Yes, we are isolating, haven’t been out for eight days, but we do,Pilates, walk round apartment for ten minutes x three times daily, jigsaws, cleaning, ukelele, Spanish and the day passes i the sunshine in our balcony. Our neighbours are so supportive so we are very lucky. The unnerving thing is the eerie silence which does sometimes get to me, but a gin and tonic solves that problem. Take care and stay safe inside, it will pass xx

Have a practice at this, i too play a uke (badly)
https://youtu.be/j7iKQbER2uQ

[pilgrim]

Day 1 of UK lockdown. After PM dictat last night. We are in some confusion. My neighbour who works in construction in central London did not go in today. His boss rang him midmorning asking why! Like me he thought only essential people should travel. But no! building is going ahead. Also garages and corner shops still open. We need some clarity?
As I have said previous, flight visitors have been arriving at Heathrow and descending down to the Tube, then straight into London. It is like a Corona19 fever tube to the centre of the population. Absolutely crazy.
Today in UK 88 deaths. the curve is expected to double every 3-5 days based on Italy and Spain.
Thing is they didn't have a fever tube to the centre of the metropolis.
Am thinking of the worst maybe, and hoping for the best!
Fingers crossed!

[unhappy]

My wife & myself have now decided to stay here, we were considering flying to Heathrow on Saturday because there are no flights to the Midlands or the North but after talking to our friends in the UK and telling us we would need to get 2 taxis home to the Midlands because of the restrictions or try & get a train we thought traveling in a full aircraft & then a train for hours with people we have never meet or know their circumstances was unwise.

It is very quite here, they have now closed all the hotels & tourist complexes, where we shop in Mercadona only one person is allowed to shop as you go in you are given a pair of gloves & made to steralize your trolly
& asked to keep your distance from other shoppers, no shortages except wine at the moment.

It poured down on Sat night & Sun, but is still sunny & warm but the wind is blowing a bit

[nophead]

To put some perspective on it the govt said if they did nothing 500,000 would die of Covid19 in the UK. On their previous tack it was projected at 250,000 and with lock down they are aiming for 20,000 which seems wildly optimistic.

The great majority of people that die from Covid19 are old or infirm or both. The average age of the Italian dead is over 78. In the UK 600,000 people die every year and the majority of those are old or infirm, so there must be a large overlap.

That means the extra deaths in reality would be nowhere near as high. And every year another 600,000 mainly from the same group die, so in reality after a small number of years there would be very little difference in the people left alive.

A much bigger problem is the economy has already taken a bigger hit that 2008 and this is only the start. By the end of the lock downs the world will be ruined for the people that survive the Covid19, the young and healthy that are prevented from working.

[pilgrim]

Agree with you, but it comes down to moral issues. Our age range it is 0.5 to 1% fatality. That is with current knowledge of who has the virus. So if they can get more people tested, and the amount of infected carrying the virus increases, say doubles. The percentage chance of dying halves, so 0.25  to 0.5%.
And agree big economic downturn! But some magicians have invented QE quantitive easing. So they will put loads of liquidity (cash, into the banks and saving funds people) into the economy. Its a new way of revitalising the economy. So am hopeful that recovery, will not be like the great depression of the past.
Strange times!!!

[pilgrim]

I was wondering about all the gardens around LG, and in the private villas. Are they being watered by the gardening/maintenance companies.

[Georgie]

How is everyone getting on and is anyone left in los gigantes from the message board

It is very quiet here and did anyone clap in lo gigantes on Thursday

[Dolly Diver]

Like everywhere else Los Gigantes is now a ghost town.  So quiet, especially at night.  People are respecting the rules and staying indoors, only venturing out to go to the supermarket, pharmacy or to walk their dog. 

There are no tourists here now and I'm sure that most of the winter residents grabbed the opportunity to leave early while flights were still operating.  I've no idea how many empty apartments there are at the moment, there must be well over 50%.  Rubbish bins, which are generally overflowing by the evenings are now barely quarter full.

We have had a few heavy showers of rain which was very welcome after all the dust from the road works. Everywhere looks clean and fresh now.  Like me, many people are taking the opportunity to Spring clean, but as the ferreterias are shut we cannot buy paint etc.

The police do patrol regularly but I have never seen any trouble.

Every evening around 7pm someone who lives in the center of Los Gigantes will play a few cheerful songs, people will come out on to their balconies to listen and to clap their appreciation for the key workers.  Then its silence again.

Take care, stay safe

[nophead]

I am glad to be back in the UK because the lockdown rules make more sense here.

We can take exercise once a day without having to have a dog and members of the same household can exercise together in pairs. They are not going to infect each other outside when they live / sleep together.

We can travel in cars together as well seated side by side. Again no sense to the Spanish regulations. I can drive my wife to the shop and can wait in the car outside. Why is that a problem?

I think hardware shops can open as well as things break down and need to be repaired.

The food shops are better stocked in LG but I think the main reason for that is with all the tourists gone they have a big overcapacity. I don't think it is "panic" buying here. People simply want to shop less often and buy bigger amounts, makes sense. I read somewhere that the "panic" was caused by people hording £1 billion of goods. Shock horror, that is £15 each. Not even as much as a weekly shop.

The problem in the UK is that all businesses are streamlined and optimised on cost because of competition, so there is no over capacity anywhere. A small increase in demand makes a shortage. The health service is the same.

[unhappy]

Nophead, Am I glad I don't live by you firstly you go mad when you get home getting 3 months supplies otherwise called hording like all the other morons I saw on the TV, then you criticise what the Spanish Government for what they are doing and you are not even here.

As far as I am concerned the British Government should be doing at least the same if not more a lock down should be a lock down even with it being in force here the figures are still increasing and the place is deserted.

Wait till it breaks out of London to the rest of the country like Italy then you will wish you were back here it is the only way to tackle this pandemic.

As for talking about businesses every country operates the same way that is why they are putting trillions in to their economies, as for the health service every country has the same problem except China, but would you want to live under their rules, I think not the way you criticise Spain

[Edward Bear]

unhappy, don't encourage Mr Smarty Pants.

[nophead]

We didn't actually buy 3 months of supplies as we found enough to live for weeks already in the house. Just got some bread and milk and some pies that were on offer. Not been shopping since the lock down.

If we hadn't run stuff down while we were away for the winter I think we would normally have enough for three months simply because we buy in bulk because it is cheaper and because we cook our own meals in bulk and freeze them. I never thought we would need it for a pandemic but seems like a good idea to have reserves because businesses don't.

Similarly we didn't need to buy anything in LG after the lockdown because we had plenty. Big packs of toilet rolls were on offer in Lidl just before!

What is the point of some of the Spanish rules separating couples? Their stupid taxi rules actually increase the risk of infection. And how healthy are people going to be with no exercise for 12 weeks? Some people only have north facing balconies, so no sun. They will get short of vitamin D and reduce their immune systems.

It is also important to see outside daylight every day to synchronise your body clock. Outdoor light is more than 1000 times brighter than a brightly lit room and there are special receptors in your eyes to detect it that are not part of vision. If you only see indoor light your body clock gets out of sync and it is very bad for your immune system not to mention sleep and memory. This is why we don't like the UK in winter. The weather is not conducive to going outside.

Lock down doesn't really tackle the epidemic because you need the young and healthy population to catch it and become immune. If you stop it by total lock down you can never open the borders again. The UK strategy is to keep the rate of old and infirm getting it low enough that hospitals don't have to turn them away.

Yes governments are injecting trillions but they don't have it, so they are borrowing or "quantitative easing", which is just printing money.

[unhappy]

Edward, your right this bloke needs to take his head from up his bum

[nophead]

What a pleasant bunch you are.

[Davymar]

[pilgrim]

260 deaths here in UK yesterday, they now say if ONLY 20,000 die we will be doing well!
And another thing, this is an open forum! if you do not understand someone, or it is above your head, or simply disagree, don't show ignorance by making a stupid rude comment! At your ages you should be more concerned about the virus!

[unhappy]

Unhappy here pilgrim, what was that about making stupid comments, yes it is still UNHAPPY here !!!!

I wonder how many comments you made about Georgie,  when a person who posts on here telling us he owns a property here & he has a big house in the UK but has to buy in bulk to last 3 months can I make a suggestion.

As somebody who is now in his 3rd downsized property in the UK, a large 3 bed 2 bath detached bungalow in a beautiful location has owned & sold 2 properties over here, and who lost his only child a son at 34 years old 3 years ago, HE NEEDS TO GET A LIFE,  & I don't need YOU to tell me what I should post, 
( pot calling the kettle black ) comes to mind.

He reminds me of the old pit & mill owners of the last century, all he is worrying about is money & finances and sod the workers or anybody.

[pilgrim]

Unhappy, relax, sorry about your son. My son is nearly that age, I cant' think off any worse. Take care!

[unhappy]

If it wasn't so daft you would cry, Ryanair cancelled our flights on the 20/03 for the 29/03 today, this morning I had a text from them reminding me of my flight today at 11.30 also they promised to return our money in 7 days, still waiting.

Some good news as we will not be able to get home yet, our travel Insurance Nationwide & our home Insurance lloyds I was able to contact them both by phone yesterday very easley, as our 90 day excess period will expire on the 02/04 they have both assured me that both policies they will honor past that date & Nationwide told me to collect all receipts for any extra expenditure.

So if anybody has any worries may I suggest you give your Insurance Company a call, as with my experience
they seem very helpful.

[linda]

We decided to stay here and see it out.We have flights booked to go back now early June. At least it's warm. Very quiet  .

[nophead]

unhappy, I have a great life thanks, retired at 53 and never looked back. As for looking down on workers, I don't own a mill and have never had workers, I was a worker myself for 29 years and then self employed for 3 years. It is the young healthy workers I feel sorry for as they are being prevented from earning a living for the benefit of others.

The only flights I see on flightradar24 recently are Eurowings and Condor to Germany and Spanish internal flights to Madrid. Some German friends flew out today on their original booked flight. I don't know if you could get connections to the UK from those countries.

There are more flights from Gran Canaria and still inter island flights to there, which might be another escape route.

The UK repatriation flights were mainly before the 24th because the government said to come home before then, I saw a lot of BA flights around that time.

[pilgrim]

Linda, I hope it's not true but word is that lockdown here till end of June! My wife and I get on so far. My many hobbies are now restricted. Thames sailing Club is closed till further notice as are the locks for leisure.
Thought I could drive one of the old cars, but that option has been taken away. Gardening, anything that I cut or remove I tend to put in an old jumbo sand bag and take to local dump/recycle centre, but they are now closed also. Having said that we are glad we are home, the weather is now dry although we had sleet today! and cold next week! But that awful wet winter is behind us. Think when this is all over we may be evolving into a new kind of living. Be safe.

[nophead]

I think October was mentioned by the government briefing this evening for things back to normal. I.e. 6 months. Don't think we will locked down for all of that but probably at least 13 weeks.

[nophead]

Looks like the UK government are organising some repatriation flights https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52099252.

[linda]

Hi unhappy we have flights booked for 9 June at moment as hubby's passport expires lol.

[unhappy]

Hi Linda, I hope your flight goes ahead, we have decided not to book any flights until they are actually flying
Ryanair & Jet 2 have both cancelled our flights and of course have not refunded any money, luckley we can afford it.

It does make me laugh when people who managed not to have their flight cancelled, and who post here keep moaning about the situation at home, lockdown they must be joking, perhaps that's why the the increase in people catching the virus and dying in the UK is crazy, where as the figures over here and I mean the whole of the Canaries every Island there has been no deaths for 2 days and only 28 new cases I know where I want to be at the moment.