18. März 2020
Hello, friends.
I wanted to let you know what to expect for what is looking to be the next 12-to-18 months, possibly longer.
If you haven’t heard, the EU is on lockdown.
In Austria, everything is closed except supermarkets, doctors, and hospitals. Only essential services may have operating hours.
Think about this: no restaurants, no fast food, no bars, no movies or concerts or theatre or opera, no libraries, no shopping. Zilch.
While it is not illegal, you are encouraged to stay indoors and not to travel at all. You can go for a walk, but you may have to show identification to a policeman. Only family members may walk in a group, and it cannot be more than five people and they must all live in the same house.
Yesterday I left my apartment for the first time in more than a week. At 3:00 on Tuesday afternoon, the city was dead.
I was planning to walk to my doctor’s office—15 minutes away on foot—but just as I was passing the bus stop around the corner from my apartment, a bus pulled in and I jumped on.
There were three other people on the bus at what is usually the beginning of rush hour. Also the normally busy intersection, where all the kids are usually getting out of classes from the two elementary schools at either end of the one-block-long Sonnenuhrgasse, was totally empty.
At my doctor’s, the door to the building was open so you didn’t have to press a buzzer and open a door. Patients in the waiting room were limited to no more than three. Appointments are strictly controlled and as I was a few minutes early, because of the bus, I had to wait with one other guy in the hallway.
Once inside, I was immediately directed to a bathroom and told to wash my hands for at least 30 seconds.
My doctor and all the workers wore masks. I went because I have had some chest pains and have been coughing a lot lately. My doctor and I went over my schedule for the past month, and it seems unlikely that I encountered anyone with the virus—the only big event I attended was an opera at a 1,000 seat theatre about three weeks ago; it was a 90-minute work with no intermission, so less chance of exposure to a lot of people at intermission.
I was told that there is no need for me to be tested—no fever–I have been monitoring my temperature for the last 10 days or so—and that I just have a seasonal cold. Nonetheless, I am on antibiotics for three days just for safety’s sake.
Walking home, I saw only a handful of people. As soon as someone came into sight, they–or I–crossed the street. If you neared anyone, someone would speed up or lag behind to avoid any possible contact.
I stopped at a supermarket to get some fresh fruit and found the shelves pretty well stocked. But the workers–of course!–wore masks, and the use of money is discouraged: there are big signs asking you to use a debit card or credit card so there is no need to touch anything that is being exchanged.
So, my dears, get ready.
Think about being quarantined for the next months. You need to think about not leaving your house. You need to assure that you will have something to do: make sure you have a streaming TV movie service, books and games, which you should buy in advance, before the stores are all closed, or maybe write that novel you always wanted to do. Have enough pet food and, if necessary, your pet’s medication on hand.
Start taking your temperature at least once a day. Write down the date and number. Keep a log.
And avoid people–even family—as much as possible. You will not be driving around—getting gas may be difficult– the streets here were totally deserted except for busses and a few delivery trucks.
Please try not to hoard, but make sure you have what you need. Also check with your local supermarkets to see if they will have delivery service for online orders—same with your pharmacy. Make sure your doctor plans to stay open: mine closed for a week because of the pandemic).
Florian, my doctor, told me that despite the quiet on the streets, people are panicking except for his elderly patients, some in their 90s. They got through World War Two, so this is not so different for them.
You really have to get used to the idea that things are changing quickly, and prepare as best as you can for isolation for a long period.
Alles Liebe,
L.
P.S. Austria has had three deaths to date. Most of the cases are in the western state of Tirol, which has the Brenner Pass and the easiest route through the Alps to Italy. Our first cases were an idiotic couple who drove from the boyfriend’s family’s house smack in the middle of the Italian ground zero to the girlfriend’s job in Innsbruck–as a hotel receptionist! The entire hotel was quarantined. Please be very careful about who you see in person, and that they haven’t travelled to anyplace, abroad or in the US, with a large outbreak—i.e. New Rochelle, New York.
Larry L. Lash
Wien, Österreich