For those of you who receive my newsletter, I may be repeating myself a bit in this post. About a month ago, I published the first weekly newsletter in place of the blog. My idea was to begin providing weekly updates for my readers and those who need to keep up with happenings in Panama. The newsletter gave me challenges that I never expected. The platform from which I publish the blog provided me with the ability to publish a newsletter, but gave me a hard time sending it to the almost 800 regular readers of the blog. I have subscribed to a better software to improve the process and it seems that the frustration readers and I were experiencing is now a thing of the past. If you missed a week of the newsletter you can access it from the newsletter archives on the header. If you are not getting the newsletter…perhaps you are not officially subscribed to the blog. I am only giving it free to regular subscribers.
You may be noticing that a few advertisements are appearing in the blog. My hope is to recover some of the expenses involved in publication of it. I do not necessarily endorse each of the advertisers and the advertisements appearing are almost all random. One advertiser that will appear is Amazon. I am a fan of Amazon and future volumes of the newsletter will have coupon offers exclusive to my readers. I am also noticing that there is a free offer for a trial of Amazon Prime appearing. As an expat, Amazon Prime is a great resource. Jen and I use it for premium television , movies, and sending gifts to our grandchildren. Clicking through the ads will get you to the provider and I will make a few cents to defray expenses. Thank you for helping me out with this. Thank you also for your indulgence with the ads that do not interest you. Just ignore them. If you are not subscribed for the blog (and newsletter), please subscribe today. Do not miss the great offers coming your way.
The snow is flying in many parts of the United States and Canada. That usually signals the arrival of our snowbird friends. Some are not coming due to travel challenges. Many others are arriving daily. If you are still on the fence about travelling to Panama this year, the following information may prove helpful. With the reactivation of international flights at Tucuman International Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority has announced that nationals, residents, and foreigners who enter the country and do not have a Certificate of Swab Test/PCR or negative antigen, the cost to perform the test at the air terminal will be $50. There are three Swabbing Centers strategically located and duly signposted for the attention of travelers, in the Central Area, North Pier and Satellite B within Terminal 1 of the airport. Travelers will be able to obtain the results in approximately 20 to 30 minutes. If the rapid test result is negative, the passenger will be exempt from complying with the mandatory isolation.
If the swab/PCR or antigen test is positive, the person will go to mandatory isolation in a hospital hotel designated by the Ministry of Health. Seven days later the passenger will have another antigen test. If the result is positive, the passenger must complete the fourteen-day isolation and if the result is negative, the isolation ends. I advise getting the test before leaving home, but within 48 hours of arrival in Panama. If you do not have a residence upon arrival, and test positive the government will send you to quarantine in a hotel at your own expense.
Technical crews, auxiliary crews, mechanics, and humanitarian personnel are exempt.
This information came from a statement released by the airport.
One of the things that we love about Panama is the ability to bless the local working people by hiring them to work for you. Many of our friends have local housekeepers, pool guys, grounds keepers, and the list goes on. When Jen and I decided to move forward with a remodel of our master bath, we searched our recourses to find local workers. We secured a group of guys who have been as much a blessing to us as we have been to them. The guys did the complete demo, prepared the space for a spa type shower, and all new bath fixtures. The tile work is winding down and the cabinet guy will be able to install our locally sourced and built cabinetry. Once the cabinets are installed the local granite purveyor will be in to get his final measurement before cutting our countertop. We also involved an electrician for additional lighting and outlets. Most of these people have been shut down for 7 months, and are just now getting back to work. Most of the working class in Panama have been barely surviving; with the majority spending all of their savings to provide bare necessities for their families. There is more about our project is in the newsletter. If you have not been getting it click on the newsletter link on the header to get a list of the archives.
November is like July in the United States. It is the beginning of summer in Panama with a full month of celebrations. This year the Panamanian people are celebrating without festivals and gatherings. Due to the COVID crisis, the government has cancelled all the big celebration events, but the holidays are not cancelled. Record numbers of people are expected to head to the beaches and the government is ready for them. According to PanaTimes, the first weekend that the beaches reopened the police were out enforcing part of the Ocean 2020 operation. The operation was deployed in 27 locations at beaches, rivers, and spas nationwide. Commissioner Arroyavez indicated that during that first weekend 1,513 people visited the beaches. Of those,14 people were arrested for failure to wear masks and 3 for consumption of alcohol on the beaches. Alcohol and food consumption on the beach is prohibited due to the COVID 19 crisis. The people who were arrested were taken to the justice of the peace and fined $100.00 each. The individuals who were fined all tested negative for COVID. The Ocean 2020 operation will continue through December due to the large capacity of people going to the beaches after 7 months of quarantine.
The opening of the beaches marked nearly the last of the reopening effort. We have been enjoying many of our favorite restaurants and nearly all the shops are open and maintaining regular hours. The pools are open and the movie theatres are opening with limits on capacity. About the only things not opened are the schools and the gyms, which are under a great deal of scrutiny. Churches that meet the protocols set forth by the government are being allowed to open with limits on capacity. Our church, Coronodo Bible Church is opening for regular services, on the first Sunday in December. We have been meeting on Fridays over the past few weeks due to the Sunday full lockdown, which just ended. On line services are expected to continue indefinitely.
Some of the protocols required here in Panama include masks anytime you leave your home, temperature checks anytime you enter a place of business, and social distancing. Anytime you enter a business you must walk across a shoe bath, and they spray sanitizer on your hands. Those of you who live in the United States, may be surprised to see how much more rigid it is here in Panama. I see news reports from the States with people complaining of mask usage and social distancing. In Panama it is not an option so, if you have a problem with this, it may be better for you to stay home this year.
I wanted to give you all an idea of how the Republic of Panama has handled the COVID crisis. MINSA, which is a division of the Ministry of Health, reports that the country has registered 134,366 cases and 2706 deaths. The resulting fatality rate for the entire country is at 2.0%. Active cases total 19,996. Of those 18,765 are recovering at home and 562 in hotels. The remaining 669 are hospitalized with 562 in ward and 107 in ICU. Compare that the rest of the world where 30,907,934 recovered registered patients are compared with 46,196,087 accumulated cases and 1,197,194 deaths creating a fatality percentage of 2.6%. Compared to the rest of the world Panama has done a phenomenal job of protecting its population from the virus.
The holiday schedule for November is important information. During the month there will be many days when government offices, banks, and other businesses will close. On many major holidays the government prohibits the sale of alcohol. Even if you are not going out for a drink, you may find your favorite restaurant running on a different schedule because of the prohibited alcohol sales. There are 5 official holidays in November. The 2nd is the day of the dead in Panama. It is a dry holiday which is set aside for the Panamanian people to visit the cemeteries and tidy up. On the 3rd Panama celebrates its separation from Colombia which occurred on November 3, 1903. This is also known as Independence Day; one of 2 celebrated in Panama. The 4th is Flag Day. You will see the Panamanian flag waving and hanging everywhere on Flag day. Flags are displayed on banks, businesses, overpasses, car antenna, and about anything that can be decorated with a flag. On the 10th Panama celebrates the uprising of Villa de Los Santos. This is known as the first cry of independence from Spain. On the 28th the second Independence Day is celebrated. The day commemorates independence from Spain which occurred on November 28, 1821.
I wrote a great deal of information about the holidays of Panama in my book “2 Retire In Panama?” which is available at Amazon or on Kindle. You can order by clicking the link on the home page. The Independent Press honored “2 Retire In Panama?” with a New York City Big Book Award. It was recognized as a Distinguished Favorite in the category of Reference. Writing the book has been an adventure all of its own. I feel blessed that it is getting noticed by many important organizations. 
Please remember to subscribe to the blog today to receive both the newsletter and blog in your e-mail in box. It helps me when you give feedback so I know that I have been helpful in keeping you informed about what is going on in Panama. It also helps when you like and share my posts.
Blessing from Paradise,
Greg and Jen
