It is bitter-sweet. The news reports that César Manrique Airport will receive a total of 33 national and international flights today. Also the news reports somewhere between 139 and 174 positives for COVID-19, a number approaching or beyond 100 per 100,000 inhabitants.
What is known for certain is that not many are hospitalised. It’s also true that not everyone respects the mask and infections continue. Some rejoice at the inbound passengers. They must put food on their table this season. Others have fear. How can we still not have testing at the airport? Who would object?
The law of the island is that you will wear a mask and respect the distance. The nightlife is closed but the daytime is open. We have found that even on the hottest of days, a good mask is easy to wear. After all, if you worry that the oxygen does not flow to the brain, perhaps that ship has already sailed.
Uncertainty and Hope
For now, UK visitors must quarantine on their return. Perhaps the government there sees the risk of vulnerable transmission to be more real than here. Safe tourism is such a balance. We spoke for months of success but the people are tired. They were promised a new normal at the end of the day.
Perhaps the virus is not so strong? Maybe additional testing and tracing simply finds more of the lower-load cases? Perhaps it is the young who transmit to each other and therefore avoid the ward? Nothing is known for sure, beyond that the sun is hot and the weather dry.
The island is beautiful and at a precipice. We have no position of power to urge testing at origin nor destination. All we can do is look to the plate and hope that the cost of the bread was not so great in retrospect. And that at least the memories and relief of the holiday live long.
The Key Question
Is it safe to come?
…We have no answer.
Yes, it’s safer than elsewhere. No, it’s never safe to travel in a plague.
We know that we would rather be here. Life is best spent with incredible views.
Photo by Chris Hannah on Unsplash
