Tag Archives: covid

my first antigen test!

28 Tuesday Dec 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, sevilla

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antigen test

So it’s been a crazy week. I was a bit sniffly with a sore throat the other day and then started thinking about the tapas tours I had booked over Christmas and then I started to get worried. Last week was when infection numbers started going through the roof again – we are back to level 3 – and the idea of being at close quarters with maskless strangers for 4 hours made me nervous not just for me but for them. Because I had no idea if I was infectious and antigen tests were (and still are) as rare as hen’s teeth. All the farmacias were sold out.

And so I cancelled the tours. And felt terrible about it because I have never cancelled a tour before this, not in twelve years. I mean, there were only 4 of them, but they were also my only source of income for December.  So aside from apologising profusely and returning all the deposits, I also spent a considerable amount of time with each client making sure they were set up by booking places for them, giving lots of recommendations, and in some cases even recommending what they should order at each tapas bar. I just didn’t want to leave them in the lurch, especially as the cancellations were quite last minute.
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covid christmas grinch

22 Wednesday Dec 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, life stuff, politics, sevilla, sevilla shutdown

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covid humbug

I am normally getting all cosy and Christmassy by now, but Loki kind of sums up how I am feeling about Christmas this year. Meh. Bleh. Dare I say… humbug?? This used to be my favourite time of year but Covid has actually managed to put me off Christmas. Not because of the restrictions and all the hardships we’ve gone through these past almost two years (including last Christmas) because, although it’s been very difficult at times, well this is also simply the harsh reality of living through a pandemic. And if we’re lucky we will end up living through it.

Rant Alert! You have been warned…  😉

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the rainy rain (2021)

21 Tuesday Dec 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, sevilla, spain, weather

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rainy rain

It’s officially winter and we are being blessed with RAIN which apparently will continue until the end of next week (Dec 30th). Luckily I clued in on this over the weekend and got tons of laundry done (both this week’s sheets and next week’s too) and so I am ready to mostly stay home and do cosy home stuff. Given that Omicron has just put Spain back into the HIGH RISK covid category, this is also a good thing. Hopefully the rain will keep people at home (but remember to support your favourite restaurants by ordering in!). Once again trying to “save Christmas” has put us all at risk. I don’t know about you but I can have Christmas anytime anywhere. But I do hope that you enjoy yours and also stay safe. xx

omicron

29 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, sevilla, travel

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omicron

Well fuck. Though I guess nobody should really be surprised by this latest even more contagious Covid variant since we keep on not sending vaccines to less developed nations, preferring to make anti-vaxxing a political football at home. I mean seriously, just send the damn vaccines to the people who really want them. And so the latest variant omicron has left its “birthplace” of South Africa and is now rapidly travelling around the world, just as Delta (India) and Alpha (UK) did before it. Of course by the time we are notified of it even existing, by the time we are told it is a “variant of concern”, it is already spreading everywhere. And so now what?

For the most part this wouldn’t affect me in the sense that my life wouldn’t change that much. EXCEPT that this week I had made plans to take a couple of research trips (for another Decanter article) to Cádiz province, first to Arcos de la Frontera and then to Cádiz city and El Puerto de Santa María. Now I just want to stay at home. I mean, if these trips had been last week I wouldn’t have been as worried as I am now, even though the reality of the situation probably wasn’t much different last week, we just didn’t know about it yet.

And so… fuck it, I am going. Today to Arcos on a day trip with my friend Tania in her car. We’ll be visiting two bodegas and then coming home in the afternoon. And tomorrow I’ll be going to Cádiz by train with Peter, stopping off first in El Puerto to visit another bodega, then overnighting in Cádiz city, and coming back on Wednesday. I had originally planned on staying two nights in Cádiz but have decided to just stay for one and cut back on exposure risks.

Last Friday my health centre told me I could have my booster shot today (!!!) but as I won’t be here I have to go back and rebook it after I return. In any case, the booster wouldn’t have “taken effect” in time to make any difference for this trip. But guys… THIS IS MY FIRST TIME OUT OF SEVILLA SINCE MARCH 2020. I’m a bit terrified.

local hero

23 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, health & happiness

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local hero

Walking past my neighbourhood churros place, the legendary Calentería San Pablo, I saw these signs (the Spanish one says “we won’t serve anyone without a mask”) and asked if I could take a photo. Because… YES. The churros counter is open to the street but of course people coming up to place orders are less than a metre away from the staff. I was told they have been threatened by customers who yell at them and say all kinds of nasty crap. But you know what? Their business, THEIR RULES. So suck it up, assholes.

I am so grateful for the continued mask mandate in Spain, which we’ve been told will be in place at least until spring. Even though more and more people (mostly tourists) are not wearing masks outdoors even when not maintaining the 1.5 metre social distance requirement, at least there is an element of safety when going anywhere indoors or public transport, etc.

Covid infection numbers have been steadily rising the past few weeks and there is already talk of the sixth wave. Happily they have reduced the time between second jabs and the booster, from six months to three, so I should be getting mine very soon.