Livin' La Vida Lockdown Day 60: mess equals progress
From 4 billion people at home around the world, we have got it down to about 2.4 billion. Winning.
Penang became a Green Zone this week. Things are slowly happening. Thailand's tentatively opening ( airports will now remain closed until 30 June but that could change in a heartbeat ), Vietnam is also opening just not to foreign arrivals yet, parts of Europe are slowly unfurling their wings. Some countries are talking about welcoming tourists sooner than we all thought. Most have mandatory quarantines in place and let's just say not all facilities are the same. Airlines are even starting to add a few flight routes.
Here in Penang we now have zero cases and no one is being treated - we are Green beans and have been for a while! We have also moved from an MCO to a CMCO this week in Malaysia and that will last until June 9th - this is now Phase 5. Of course, no one wanted it extended ( least of all me - you could hear me bitching in outer space) but this was all pretty much expected for Eid and the other holidays over the coming month. The purpose is just to pull the hand brake on the usual exodus and movement around the country.
In late January we were in a minority by wearing a mask - by mid-February people started asking where we bought ours from as they had sold out everywhere - and now 99.9% of the population here wear masks - drivers, delivery people, servers, security, staff, chefs, cooks, the general population - mostly everyone. It is considered pretty bad form not to. Wearing masks has contributed to us getting Green Zoned.
Of course, each day brings changes and adaptations, confusion, frustration, relief, disappointment, sadness, resignation, negotiations and eventual half-hearted acceptance. What the state of Penang says is often very different to the national strategy so it can take days to get a final clarification on rules.
Shops and stalls are slowly opening now that they have conducted extensive public area sanitising, yet many places are still quiet, malls are either teeming or dead quiet depending on the time of day, people can return to work and use public transport but working from home is preferred. Many have no jobs to return to - many are still homeschooling. Tens of thousands went back to Indonesia at the first chance. There are now fewer roadblocks. It's 4 to a car this week - that is progress from one or two. Up to 20 people from your family can gather at home for Hari Raya - but not really as that also depends on where you live.
The island now has extensive CCTV in place to monitor social distancing in crowded areas and all movement. You can walk, jog and cycle - but not in groups and no you can't gather in a park for a chat afterwards. You must move along.
All restaurants (not just those in malls) will be able to trade from May18th with strict measures in place, hotels are also starting to open. My condo building has opened an outdoor area - the jogging track. Yet it remains mostly empty. All the other facilities we long for are shut. Saltwater infinity pools, lounges, grass, the state of the art gym, playgrounds, gardens, meeting rooms and super chic common areas - all remain locked off. We pay for them in our rent and now we just stare at them longingly from a distance. And there is not a damn thing anyone can do about it - trust me - a lot of us tried.
Even walking outside has been a tentative exercise for many as kids and the elderly are still asked to remain at home. People go out and get what they need then scuttle home. There is a lot of trepidation behind the masks - no lingering for a chat. After my first foray into my local supermarket three days ago - I could soon see why. No social distancing, masks hanging around peoples necks, or no masks at all and crowds around the produce - yet they are testing 55 000+ foreign workers this week in Penang alone. Let's see how that goes. If Singapore is an indication - it could go either way.
You now have to sign in, get temp checked and give your personal details and phone number at the entrance of most stores, shops and all eateries. Then sanitise (my hands are peeling after months of this). Yet that is also a hit and miss process. But I remain quietly confident that it's being handled correctly albeit frustratingly slowly.
It is also easy to see that a lot has NOT changed at all in 60 days in order for Penang to become a Green Zone:
- All schools, daycare and universities remain closed
- Kids and the elderly are not to visit supermarkets, wet markets or crowded areas
- Tourist sites and places of worship remain off-limits
- No team sports
- Pools, gyms, halls, conference rooms, cinemas, playgrounds are still no go zones
- Large parks, gardens and hiking trails remain closed
- Hotels will not be able to open up facilities for quite some time - only rooms, bars and restaurants ( but at least that's something)
- The international airport here in Penang remains closed - if the planets align and you get a flight - KL is your only option out. Qatar does fly if you want to pay 3k AUD one way to get to the East Coast of Oz and endure a 45-hour flight via Doha. Good luck with that.
- Dual residents on MM2H visas have now been allowed back in as of three days ago (quarantine for all here is 14 days in a hotel like government facility and as a foreigner, you will foot the bill for that privilege).
- Foreigners are still unable to enter the country and for how long that will stand is anyone's guess
- The dream to go to Thailand (it's not that far by car) and escape this for a bit got crushed as they announced no foreign entry there until at least July
- Meanwhile, hundreds of Australians and thousands from around the world are asking for repatriation flights out of here - particularly if this continues after June - and yet we all know the chances of this happening are slim.
If the CMCO is lifted - hopefully on June 9 ( where has the time gone?) foreigners/ tourists have 14 days to depart the country. How this will happen no one knows and if you can't leave (you must show proof of this) we have 30 days to provide a lot of paperwork and apply for a 30-day extension. By all reports, it may not even be approved.
I have no idea what will happen - no one does. In many ways, it is still day by day. 60 days and counting.
Peace
