So This is Christmas; New restriction measures; New sampling center in Costa Del Este; Restriction of use of the KN95 mask with valves; and even MORE Christmas

Friday, December 18, 2020

I’m one of those Facebook group “observers” who reads just about everything posted on the local Panama groups, yet rarely comments.  I try so hard to stay out of the fights, and usually only comment when I have time and when I’m 100% certain of an answer.  Lately, I’ve noticed a trend in a few of these groups.  Several have been asking practically the same question in reference to local freight forwarding companies trying to determine the quickest, cheapest and best of the services and whether or not you can reliably order from Amazon.  My diabolical mind already imagined them sitting there online ready to pull the proverbial trigger in hopes of purchasing that elegant cat butt tissue holder they have their eye on.  Many, with the intent of leaving all of the evils that the USA has to offer, yet they can’t get away from the basic capitalist dream of obtaining a bunch of crap!  And yes, the cat butt tissue holder is really a thing, and there’s only one left in stock, so you better hurry Cat Butt Tissue Holder

Alas, I’m most certainly too late to sway the ways of the majority of compulsive shoppers, over-indulgers, exorbitant gift-givers, and crazed stocking-stuffers, but I’d still like to add my two cents on buying stuff during the holidays.

My first year as a civilian, I was broke.  Let me reiterate that, I was BROOOOOOOOKE!!!!!!  Christmas was around the corner and I may have had $50 for food and $50 for Christmas.  I knew that I had failed as a father.  My precious Kimberly wasn’t going to have a Christmas and I didn’t know how to break it to her.  I met with good friend Glenn Solomon and in conversation I told him what I was going through.  His response was, “I know how to take those $50 and turn it into the best Christmas your daughter would ever remember.  It’s all about mindset and realizing that your daughter is too young to have any idea of what she actually wants in life.  Just make it fun for her.”, he tells me.  Glenn had gone through many a penurious year.  He knew what it was like to be formidably destitute.  So, when it came to getting the best deals or the cheapest spin on something I inevitably had to buy, I asked Glenn first.

Reluctant but desperate, I followed his lead over to a well-known Panamanian store on Via España called “PIEX”.  Kimberly was only 4 years old at the time.  We, first-time fathers will historically always want to go “all out” on their kids and I was no different.  The PIEX isn’t a place for high-dollar items, but you can definitely get a lot of “stuff”.  And boy did we get a good amount of stuff for Kimberly that year.  The bill totaled $25; half of what I had allotted for Christmas toys.  That being the case I even got a little stuff for my wife that year and quickly turned my feelings of brazened unworthiness to brash self-confidence.  Thanks to Glenn for waking me up to a new mindset, we had something similar to a proper Christmas.  Kids are happy by nature.  They really don’t NEED stuff.  One such item in this mound of stuff was a certain bamboo rod.  Kimmy was so enthralled by this $2.00 bamboo rod.  It had dried rice in it and once you turned it over end to end, the rice would run down the inside of the rod making a noise similar to the sound of rain.  I’ll never forget how her face lit up and she started running around the room flipping it over and over; and she hadn’t even unwrapped it yet!  Hahaha

This year is going to be very different with a lot of the same.  Luckily, this year, I’m not flat on my ass broke like I was that fateful, yet illuminating year when Kimmy was just 4 years old.  Just the same, with the local restrictions, we’re going towards minimalism and with the exception of one “big” gift, the boys are going to get books and hobby things to keep them busy during their upcoming school vacation/quarantine.  And seeing as we’re restricted from having visitors, I think it prudent to find warmth in our little family circle of 4, until we can find some wiggle room to get people over to celebrate.  But, it can wait.  I’m a fisherman and we’re notorious for being patient. 

We’re only 7 days away from Christmas Eve – I’m not sure I’ll do another report until January.  Too many celebrations to be had and I decided to take some time off to reflect, add some pages to my book and hopefully finish a few of the ongoing wood projects that I’ve started.

So, from my family to yours, hunker down during quarantine, behave, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! 


TOP NEWS and TIDBITS

Yoli’s Wisdom

One of the vaccines that has already shown efficacy against covid-19, that of Pfizer / BioNTech, has been distributed in the United Kingdom since last Monday. It is expected to be applied from December in Mexico, and in the following months in other Latin American countries.

What would be the first thing you would do after receiving the vaccine?

If you think you could ditch the mask immediately, travel, and see everyone you haven’t seen in nearly a year of pandemic, doctors and infectologists warn that, in fact, life will not return to normal so soon.

“After getting the vaccine, it is necessary to return home, maintain social isolation, wait for the second dose and then wait at least 15 days for the vaccine to reach the expected level of effectiveness,” explains biologist Natalia Pasternak, president of the Institute. Questão de Ciência, from Brazil.

The general mechanism of how a vaccine works is always the same: it introduces a particle into the body called an antigen.

This antigen can be an inactivated (killed) virus, a weakened virus (which cannot make anyone sick), a part of the virus, some protein that looks like the virus, or even a nucleic acid (such as the RNA vaccine).

The antigen provokes an immune response, that is, it prepares the body to face an attempted contamination, to be able to recognize a virus and produce antibodies to fight it, explains infectious disease doctor Jorge Kalil, professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sao Paulo (FMUSP).

The next time you come into contact with that virus, your body will remember how to fight it and you can deal with the threat quickly and efficiently.

This response is called the adaptive immune response and is specific for each virus. “It is a response that takes at least two weeks,” explains Natália Pasternak.

The body’s first immune response after vaccination is the production of antibodies, which stick to the virus and prevent it from entering the body’s cells and using them to produce more viruses, Pasternak explains.

That is, in an immunized person, from the moment the pathogen enters the body, antibodies are released that prevent contamination of the cells.

But there is a second type of immune response, called a cellular response. “They are cells, called T-cells, that do not bind to the virus, but recognize when a cell is contaminated with the virus and destroy it,” explains Pasternak.

That is, if a virus manages to escape the antibodies and contaminate any cell in the body, the T cells function as “hunters” and destroy the “zombie cells”, preventing more viruses from being produced.

Life will not return to normal so quickly after vaccination starts in your country.

The cellular response takes a little longer than the antibody response, another reason why immunization is only completed a few weeks after receiving the vaccine, explains Jorge Kalil.

That is, after receiving a vaccine, you are only really protected after a few weeks, the scientists explain. It is as if the body needs time to “process” the information and react appropriately.

Two doses against coronavirus

In the specific case of the coronavirus, another issue requires maintaining protective measures for some time after vaccination: most of the vaccines that are being developed against the disease require two doses to achieve the expected efficacy.

Two doses will be needed for the four vaccines that have already proven their effectiveness: those from Pfizer, Moderna, Oxford / AstraZeneca and Sputnik V. This also applies to Coronavac, which is being developed by the Butantan Institute in collaboration with the pharmaceutical company. Sinovac.

“Probably the indication will be to receive the first dose, wait a month, take the second dose and maintain all pandemic care, such as social isolation and the use of masks, for at least 15 days. Only then will you be protected, according to the effectiveness of each vaccine “, explains Jorge Kalil.

The first dose, explains Natália Pasternak, is what scientists call the main booster. “It’s like … it gives the immune system a ‘jump start’. The second dose generates a better immune response,” she explains.

Combining the time it takes between doses and the time it takes the body to produce an immune response, it will take at least a month and a half for someone who has been vaccinated to be considered immunized.

But, even after that, it will take time for life to return to normal, and until the majority of the population is vaccinated, the recommendation is that even immunized people maintain prevention measures.

Is it true that the vaccine may not prevent coronavirus contamination?

No, the scientists explain, because if there is good vaccination coverage, a vaccine can greatly reduce the circulation of the virus through so-called herd immunity.

It is true that individually no vaccine is 100% effective, and this is also true for covid-19. Pfizer’s vaccine, for example, is 95% effective, based on the results of the third phase of testing.

This means that there is a 5% chance that that specific vaccine will not produce an immune response in the body of the vaccinated person.

But then how do vaccines prevent the virus from spreading if there are some people who can become infected?

Herd immunity is important not only because vaccines are not 100% effective, but because there are many people who cannot even get it.

“There are people who cannot receive it because they are not old or because they are not part of the vaccination program. Vaccines against the coronavirus have not yet been tested in children or pregnant women,” explains Kalil.

People with a disease that compromises their immune system cannot be vaccinated either.

In the case of the coronavirus, the WHO estimates that the vaccination coverage necessary to stabilize and contain the pandemic is 80% of the population, ideally 90%.

That is why it is important that even those who have already been vaccinated and waited a month and a half, do not abandon the measures against the pandemic.

In the case of vaccination against the coronavirus, it will take some time before the vaccine reaches the majority of the population.

The production of millions of doses is not something that happens overnight. There are also issues such as government agreements with pharmaceutical companies, the waiting list of various countries, the difficulty of distribution and storage (some vaccines must be stored at temperatures well below freezing), etc.

“It is important that whoever receives the vaccine first maintains the measures to combat the pandemic because, even after a month and a half, even if he is immunized, there is no guarantee that he cannot be a vector of the disease until there is herd immunity”, Pasternak says.

The scientist explains that the vaccines tested so far prevent the virus from reproducing in the body and making the person sick. But there is no evidence, for now, that shows that the vaccinated person will not transmit the virus to other people.

The summary of all this is that, even if you take the two doses of the vaccine, you have to wait until the majority of the population is vaccinated so that life returns to normal, advises Jorge Kalil.

In other words, we must wait until the herd immunity generated by the wide vaccination coverage allows the pandemic to be permanently contained.

This article originally appeared in Portuguese BBC Brasil and you can read it here  Por que pode ser preciso usar máscara mesmo após vacina contra covid-19


THE MINSA BETS ON MEASURES OF ‘INTERMEDIATE RESTRICTION’

Brett’s Comments: 

If you have any doubts, just print this calendar out and pin it to your fridge.  There are a few other summary “calendars” out there that are actually inaccurate.  This one; however, is accurate.

Calendar of measures dictated by MINSA.

The announcement by the Ministry of Health (Minsa) on new measures to restrict the mobilization of the population amid a rebound in cases, deaths and hospitalization by Covid-19 captured the attention of the country.

Once the press conference of the Health authorities concluded, on Tuesday night, there were positions both in favor and against the traffic rules established for the end of the year and early 2021 holidays. The question asked the population is how effective can they be in controlling the accelerated spread of the new virus?

For epidemiologist Arturo Rebollón, quarantines for six days can motivate adaptation to house party schedules. “Done the law done the snare. Hopefully the message of prevention reaches the people well, “he added.

The Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre, announced a total quarantine from December 25 to 28, 2020 and from January 1 to 4, 2021, as a measure to stop the advance of SARS-CoV-2 in the country.

Supermarkets

The Ministry of Health ordered supermarkets to receive one person per family, with the exception of being accompanied by a minor or person with a disability.

Airports, ports and borders will remain open.

Meetings of more than 10 people remain suspended.

It was announced that they will bring doctors from the United States, Mexico, Venezuela and Cuba, to reinforce the health personnel.

The total quarantine will start from 7:00 p.m. on Friday the 25th and will end at 5:00 a.m. Monday, December 28; and the second quarantine will be from 7:00 p.m. from Friday, January 1 until 5:00 a.m. Monday, January 4. Meanwhile, as of December 18, a new curfew and dry law will take effect: from 7:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. Currently, the curfew is 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

In the words of the epidemiologist, communication must be improved, especially on the subject of prevention, so that the message reaches everyone effectively.

“When you do prevention, it is not just going to television. The message must be taken to the community because that is where we will win this war against the new coronavirus, ”he emphasized.

In the opinion of the specialist, if you continue to think that with more doctors and more beds the problem will be solved, you will not advance in the fight against Covid-19.

Rebollón is struck by the 28,000 active cases in the country, since it is the maximum number of active cases that has been registered during the entire pandemic. He also highlights that all provinces are in the acceleration phase and that all townships are above an effective reproduction number (Rt) of 1, when the ideal would be for them to be less than 1.

He also mentioned that right now there is an acceleration of cases, deaths and hospitalizations. For example, he explained that there are an average of 25 deaths a day, which implies between 165 and 170 deaths per week, which is double than 15 days ago.

His call to the population was simple: “you have to take care of yourself so that we can all be back next year.”

Hard decision

The infectious pediatrician Xavier Sáez Llorens maintains that these types of decisions are difficult due to economic and social issues. “Curfews, without a doubt, somewhat reduce the movement of people, especially the youngest, but they can also favor crowds because there is less time to go home, something that particularly impacts transportation,” he added.

On the other hand, he said that the quarantine, to work, must be for at least 10 or 14 consecutive days, since dividing it in two, with an interval for freedom, can be even worse, because people can transport the virus from one place to another at festive time.

Sáez Llorens described the measures of the Ministry of Health as “intermediate restriction”, since they are neither very rigid, but neither are they soft.

However, he considered that the virus is at its highest point and called it “incongruous” that while the use of beaches is restricted, the operation of businesses or activities with closed spaces, such as casinos or churches, continues to be allowed.

“The problem with the beaches is that there are many young people who go to the beaches and have parties. The situation is really worrying and we are experiencing the worst moment of the pandemic. It could be the last Christmas of someone in your family, so you have to take care of yourself “, said the specialist.

Flights

One of the doubts that arose after the announcement of the Minsa was how people who have scheduled flights to other countries will be able to circulate during the quarantine days. As the Tocumen airport will remain open during those days, the director of the Metropolitan Health Region, Israel Cedeño, clarified that the person who has to travel must show their plane ticket if they have to go through a checkpoint. In case he has to look for someone at the air terminal, he must show a copy of the ticket of whoever is traveling.

The Minsa reported that government entities will work with up to 50% of their officials.

El Minsa apuesta por medidas de ‘restricción intermedia’


DETAIL WHO WILL BE ABLE TO MOBILIZE DURING THE QUARANTINE AND CURFEW

Users of the Panama Metro.

The National Government detailed this Thursday what type of personnel is authorized to mobilize during the hours of the curfew and the weekend quarantine, measures established in Panama to stop the increase in COVID-19 infections.

Letter template.

As of Friday, December 18, the curfew will be extended, which will be from 7:00 p.m. at 5:00 a.m.; while there will be total quarantine weekends from 7:00 p.m. from Friday, December 25 until 5:00 a.m. Monday, December 28; and from 7:00 p.m. from Friday, January 1 until 5:00 a.m. Monday, January 4.

People who must circulate during these hours must carry their work card and a letter or certification issued by the company they work for.

Detallan quiénes podrán movilizarse durante toque de queda y cuarentena


27 PEOPLE ARRESTED FOR PROTESTS AGAINST CORRUPTION AND BONUS RESTRICTIONS

Among the detainees there are four minors.

The National Police reported, this Wednesday, December 16, that 27 people were arrested, including four minors, after protests in the vicinity of the National Assembly and the coastal strip.

According to the National Police (which resorted to the use of force to repress the protesters), the group was arrested for disturbing peaceful coexistence.

The protest began after 4:00 p.m. in the area of ​​Plaza 5 de Mayo. They shouted slogans against the administration of President Laurentino Cortizo and protested that the bonds of the Panama Solidario program were taken away from those under 25 years of age.

University students protested on Wednesday afternoon over the alleged waste of resources by the Government and the crisis that has been aggravated by the pandemic.

According to the National Police, the detainees will be referred to the Justice of the Peace for the corresponding analysis of the cases.

The group of young people, most of them university students, were at the San Miguel police substation, in the Calidonia district.

The Ombudsman’s Office indicated on Wednesday night that the directors of Deprived of Liberty, Citizen Orientation and Protection of Women’s Rights are going to the San Miguel police station to find out the status of the detained protesters.

Detienen a 27 personas por protestas contra la corrupción y restricciones en bono


COMPANIES THAT STILL CANNOT OPERATE MUST REQUEST AN EXTENSION OF THE SUSPENSION OF EMPLOYEES ‘CONTRACTS

As of January 2021, businesses or businesses that have resumed activities must gradually reinstate workers whose contracts were suspended as a result of the pandemic.

The advisor to the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel), Raúl Jordán, explained this Wednesday that the gradual reinstatement of workers whose contracts were suspended as a result of the pandemic, will be done through the percentages established so that they return, which will vary according to the primary, secondary, tertiary and tourism sectors.

As for the companies that to date have not been able to reactivate their activities, Jordán pointed out that they must request the extension of the suspension of 100% of the employment contracts.

“Decree 229 in Article 2 authorizes the companies to remain closed by a provision of the health authority, these companies will request the extension of the suspension of the effects of the contracts of 100% of the workers based on to Numeral 8 of Article 199 that we have talked about since the month of March that started this health pandemic, which is force majeure or fortuitous event, logically as long as said rule remains in force, ”he explained.

He added that, in the case of the salary reduction, both the employer and the collaborator must sign a new agreement to reduce working hours based on the ratios per hour.

Empresas que aún no pueden operar deben solicitar prórroga de suspensión de contratos de los trabajadores


COVID-19 SAMPLING CENTER OPENS IN COSTA DEL ESTE

Sampling in the Costa del Este area.

A new sampling center to diagnose the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (which causes Covid-19) opened in the Costa del Este urbanization.

It is a VidaTec facility located in the bus area of the Inter-American Academy of Panama, explained Denisse Vega, general manager of this specialized clinical laboratory.

The laboratory offers, at this point of Costa del Este, the auto-express service, where Covid-19 tests are carried out by PCR, antigens and serology.

Vega indicated that, to take these exams, those interested can make their appointment in advance, through the lines 6034-8103 / 6130-8919. However, people can also report directly to these facilities.

Abre centro de toma de muestras de la Covid-19 en Costa del Este


MINISTRY OF HEALTH RESTRICTS USE OF KN95 MASK WITH VALVES

KN95 mask with valves cannot be used in Panama.

The Ministry of Health (Minsa) announced this Friday that it will restrict the use of the KN95 mask with valves.

“We have prepared a resolution that is close to being issued, which restricts the use of KN95 masks with valves,” said the general director of Public Health of the Minsa, Nadja Porcell this Friday.

Masks with built-in valves filter the air that enters the inside of the mask and that the person inhales, but it does not filter the air that the person exhales, for this reason this failed barrier does not provide security to other people, Porcell noted .

The resolution highlights that the use of valve masks will only be allowed to people who keep doing physical activity (outdoor exercise, running, walking in parks, among other activities).

The intention of the mask is not to allow the microdroplets of saliva to enter the environment and can contaminate other people, taking into account that there are asymptomatic people who do not know they have the virus and can contaminate.

According to the Minsa, the simple, three-layer surgical mask has so far proven to be the most effective for traveling outside the home and its accessibility has improved due to the high demand it presents.

Three-layer or surgical masks are on the market in all colors and designs, however, the Minsa recommends that the entire general population not access those that come in individual packages and that could be adulterated or that they were not packed with biosecurity measures.

It is recommended to buy the boxes and read the general ones that guarantee that the purchased product will provide you with biosecurity.

Ministerio de Salud restringe uso de la mascarilla KN95 con válvulas


MINSA PROHIBITS ACTIVITIES THAT GENERATE CROWD IN PUBLIC AND COMMERCIAL PLACES

According to the Minsa, with the staggered reopening, the measures in workplaces, shops and public places have been relaxed.

The Ministry of Health (Minsa) of Panama issued Resolution No. 1386, which establishes extraordinary measures related to crowds of people, in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The document indicates that the realization of any activity that involves crowds in public, commercial places and of any kind is prohibited.

In the case of business meetings, only a maximum of ten (10) people will be allowed to participate, provided that they comply with the two-meter distance and other biosafety measures.

According to the Minsa, with the staggered reopening of the different economic activities, “the measures in workplaces, commerce and public places have been relaxed, allowing a capacity and influx of people, without taking biosecurity measures into consideration.”

The entity has evaluated the increase in effective reproduction (RT), observing that it is by 1.8% and that the amount of infections increases daily, which exceeds the index that allows the reopening; likewise, it is recorded that the hospital capacity index is in critical condition.

 The Minsa, in coordination with the public security bodies and the Joint Task Force, will ensure compliance with the measures established in this resolution and will take measures to disperse the people that cause agglomerations.

The resolution signed by the Minister of Health, Luis Sucre and the Secretary General, José Belisario Baruco, became effective as of its promulgation.

Minsa prohíbe actividades que generen aglomeración en lugares públicos y comerciales


MICI REPORTS THE CLOSURE OF 25 FINANCIAL BRANCHES IN PANDEMIC

In Panama there are about 194 formally established financial companies.

In Panama, there are about 194 formally established financial companies, the vast majority of which maintained operations, amid the economic situation generated by the pandemic of COVID-19.

Through the Statistics Department of the General Directorate of Financial Companies (DGEF), 25 financial branch closures were reported.

For the director of the DGEF, Luis Capriles, it is important to urge financial consumers to meet their obligations if they are able to do so, as this will guarantee the economic sustainability of this type of business, which contributes to the generation of employment and economic development of the country.

Last October Sanya Salcedo, general director of Empresas Financiera, said that, due to the issue of the pandemic and the moratorium, the financiers do not want to receive the documentation of the insolvency status of their clients.

“Weekly we receive between 5 to 10 complaints against financial companies, so we call on them to comply with Law 156 that governs the moratorium for Financial Companies that establishes sanctions,” said the director of the financial regulator in Panama .

She added that Law 156 that governs the moratorium for Financial Companies in its article 3 establishes that when the moratorium period expires, the parties have to reach an agreement and this in turn cannot impose the client how to pay.

Avoid scams

During this time of year, there are cases of fraud that reach some clients of financial companies. Given this situation, Capriles recalled that on the MICI website there is a list with the name of the legally established financial institutions.

“The institution has identified unscrupulous people who, promoting themselves mainly on internet sites and social networks, request the delivery of money in exchange for a loan, instead of crediting it to the contract. These regularly do not have offices and are presented with advertising and names very similar to those of a financial institution that is in order, “warned Capriles.

Mici reporta el cierre de 25 sucursales de financieras en pandemia


DONATE BLOOD IN TIMES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

You don’t have to go on an empty stomach to donate blood.

Panama has five blood donation centers – outside of traditional blood banks – so that those interested can go to them and not have to go to a hospital, in times of the Covid-19 pandemic.

These are: the one located on Via Ricardo J Alfaro, in front of the Condado del Rey urbanization, the Dona Vida center, on Via España, the donation center at Omar Park (San Francisco). While in the provinces there is the donation center in Santiago de Veraguas and the one located in the Cervantes de David park, Chiriquí.

“In these places, they treat blood donors, not patients,” said Carlos Montero, a hematologist and head of the department of transfusion medicine-blood service for the Ministry of Health and the Social Security Fund.

“The donation centers are safe, clean, where the biosecurity measures established by the Minsa are kept,” he said.

Montero said that, although it is true that, despite the pandemic, a part of the population has gone to donate blood, with the rebound in Covid-19 cases, the situation has changed.

“The number of patients [in hospitals] exceeds the number of donors right now.” Carlos Montero, hematologist doctor

There has been up to a 98% decrease in the blood available, but at other times, thanks to dissemination campaigns, it has reached 40 or 50%, he said.

However, at the moment there are blood banks that have zero bags of blood, said the official. Hence, he exhorted the population to go to these peripheral centers.

“Covid-19 consumes a lot of blood, like all those diseases that are not Covid-19 … the need persists, it is great,” he pointed out. “People do not stop heart attacks because there is the coronavirus, there are heart surgeries, pregnant women can also get complicated,” he added.

Montero recalled that everyone can donate, if he has the genuine desire to do so. Must be between 18 and 65 years of age, be healthy; If you are under 18 years old, you must have the parents’ permission (copy of the juvenile certificate and the authorizing parent). In case he is over 65 years old, he must have the approval of the medical chief of the blood bank that examines him.

If the person is diabetic or hypertensive, he must be under treatment and with proper controls.

“Nowadays people are anguished or frightened when they meet someone who is hospitalized, but the reaction must be ‘I am going to donate,'” said the doctor.

BLOOD BANKS IN PANAMA

Arnulfo Arias Madrid Metropolitan Hospital Complex

Phone: 507-6251 / 52/53/54/55

Social Security Fund

Panama, Panama

Pediatric Specialty Hospital

Phone: 503-1020

Social Security Fund

Panama, Panama

Child Hospital

Telephone: 512-9808 / 09 Ext. 249

Patronage

Panama, Panama

Santo Tomás Hospital

Phone: 507-5607

Ministry of Health

Panama, Panama

National Oncological Hospital

Phone: 512-7080

Ministry of Health

Panama, Panama

Nicolás Solano Hospital

Phone: 253-3220 Ext. 2112

Ministry of Health

Chorrera, Panama

San Miguel Arcángel Hospital

Telephone: 523-6906 Ext. 2108

Donar sangre en tiempos de la pandemia de la Covid-19


THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO FUNDS TO PAY THE THIRTEENTH MONTH TO WORKERS WITH SUSPENDED CONTRACTS

To date, the Mitradel has registered more than 100 thousand 13 suspended contracts reactivated, of some 8,001 companies that have progressively restarted operations.

The National Government granted in the month of August a bonus of 50 dollars in substitution to the departure of the thirteenth month, to the workers with suspended contracts, but this time there is no possibility of giving this benefit, this was announced on Monday by the advisor to the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel), Carlos Ayala.

“The state finances, apparently, do not allow that possibility, and those who have suspended contracts will not be able to receive the bonus. There are no possibilities from a fiscal point of view to grant the 50 dollar bonus this time,” he said.

In an interview with TVN Noticias, Ayala explained that there are regulations that employers can apply, such as the food voucher, which is voluntary as an action of solidarity towards workers who have their contracts suspended, since companies continue to operate, but it is not mandatory.

“According to information that we handle, there is no possibility of making the payment, nor do we rule out that the bond can be made effective, but at this moment there is no such possibility from the budgetary point of view,” he stressed.

Law 157, on temporary employment protection measures, establishes the payment of the second item of the thirteenth month (August), but not for the last one that runs on December 15.

The second item that was paid last August by the National Government was for a total of $ 12.5 million.

To date, the Mitradel has registered more than 100 thousand 13 suspended contracts reactivated, of some 8,001 companies that have progressively restarted operations.

This year, the unemployment rate is expected to go from 7.1% (146,111 people) to 20% (400,000), as a result of the coronavirus health crisis that has occurred in the country since last March.

Last week the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo, announced that between Wednesday or Thursday he will make a decision on the proposals to extend or not the suspension of contracts and shortened working hours, depending on economic activities.

Gobierno no tiene fondos para pagarle el décimo tercer mes a los trabajadores con contratos suspendidos


HOSPITAL SANTO TOMÁS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDS ATTENTION IN THE EXTERNAL CONSULTATION BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN COVID-19 CASES

Only patients from some services will be seen.

Faced with the rebound in Covid-19 cases, the medical direction of the Santo Tomás Hospital reported this Wednesday, December 16, that it was decided to temporarily suspend the care in the specialized external consultation as of today.

However, the hospital administration stressed that it will continue to provide care in the special services in the vascular, HIV, wound, anticoagulation, diabetes, emergency orthopedic, postoperative control and chemotherapy clinics.

The hospital informs the public that they can call 524-3677 to confirm appointments or reschedule them.

Likewise, the call is reiterated to people to continue with biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, such as hand washing, physical distancing, use of a mask and if possible, a facial screen.

Hospital Santo Tomás suspende temporalmente atención en la consulta externa ante incremento de casos de la Covid-19


RECOMMENDATIONS TO USERS OF TOCUMEN AIRPORT AFTER RESTRICTION MEASURES

After the government’s announcement of new restrictions due to the increase in infections by Covid, the Tocumen International Airport made known to its passengers a series of recommendations.

One of them is that, both for departure and arrival in the country, they carry their plane ticket, or flight itinerary (as the case may be), to show it to the National Police units at the control points of movement or sanitary fences.

In the case of relatives or people who need to go to pick up or drop off passengers at the Air Terminal, it is recommended that they carry a copy of the ticket or flight information of the passenger or family member that they are going to pick up or have left at the Airport, to show it to the units of the National Police at the movement control points that will be in various areas of the city.

For collaborators of airlines, commercial concessionaires and other users of the Airport who need to move to or from the Air Terminal during the established curfew periods, in addition to carrying the entry card to the Tocumen International Airport, they must have the safe conduct corresponding to show it in case it is required by the authorities at the movement control points or sanitary fences.

Recomendaciones a usuarios del aeropuerto de Tocumen tras medidas de restricción


VOLUNTEERS OVER 60 YEARS OLD ARE NEEDED FOR VACCINE TRIAL

Panama also plans to start another phase 1 and 2 clinical trial of a messenger RNA vaccine in the coming days.

The Covid-19 Panama Vaccine Research Consortium -integrated by the Cevaxin Vaccination and Research Center and the Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services- is making good progress with the phase 2 clinical study of the German vaccine against Covid- 19 from the CureVac company.

Rodrigo De Antonio, executive director of the Cevaxin Research Center, indicated that the recruitment of people from 18 to 60 years old has been successful, however, they still require volunteers over 60 who meet the eligibility criteria to participate in the study.

“It is important that people over 60 years of age volunteer because being a vulnerable population, it is necessary to know that the vaccine is safe for this group and that it generates an immune response, that is, defenses to prevent infection by the virus,” he said. From Antonio.

The scientist assured that so far in the volunteers who are part of the study there have been no serious adverse reactions or complications.

He added that only a few expected local and general events have been reported, similar to those seen with other vaccines.

The phase 2 clinical trial of the German CureVac vaccine began last October.

Panama also plans to start another phase 1 and 2 clinical trial of a messenger RNA vaccine in the next few days; the research protocol has already been reviewed and approved by the National Research Bioethics Committee. 260 volunteers will be recruited for this study.

The CureVac vaccine is part of the portfolio of nine vaccines of the international Covax mechanism, promoted by the World Health Organization, which pursues the development, production and equitable distribution of the vaccine against Covid-19.

De Antonio highlighted that vaccination is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions that has managed to eradicate and control diseases throughout history.

Faltan voluntarios mayores de 60 años para ensayo de vacuna


FDA AUTHORIZES THE FIRST CORONAVIRUS TEST THAT CAN BE COMPLETELY PERFORMED AT HOME

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it has granted emergency clearance for the first coronavirus home test.

People can take it and get the results at home, which means they don’t have to go to a lab to collect samples and they don’t have to send the test anywhere or wait for the results.

People will be able to buy the test, called the Ellume Covid-19 Home Test, and take it home to use, the FDA said.

“Today’s authorization is an important milestone in diagnostic testing for COVID-19. By authorizing a test for use without a prescription, the FDA allows it to be sold in places such as pharmacies, where a patient can buy it, swab their nose, run the test and see the results in just 20 minutes, “said the commissioner of the FDA, Dr. Stephen Hahn, in a statement.

It is an antigen test, which means that it looks for small parts of the virus in a person’s nose.

“The Ellume COVID-19 home test correctly identified 96% of the positive samples and 100% of the negative samples in people with symptoms. In people without symptoms, the test correctly identified 91% of the positive samples and 96% of the negative ones, ”said the FDA.

Because it is not perfect, people who test negative should assume they may be infected and act accordingly – wear a mask and stay away from others.

“The Ellume COVID-19 home test uses an analyzer that connects to a software application on a smartphone to help users perform the test and interpret the results. The results are delivered in as little as 20 minutes to people via their smartphones, ”said the FDA.

FDA autoriza la primera prueba casera de covid-19


PANAMA APPROVES THE EMERGENCY USE OF THE PFIZER VACCINE

Ivette Berrío, Vice Minister of Health.

The Vice Minister of Health, Ivette Berrío, announced this Tuesday, December 15, that Panama approved the emergency use of the Pfizer company’s coronavirus vaccine.

“We received the call from the senior managers of Pfizer asking us if we are ready to implement the vaccine. And with pride we communicate that we are ready, ”said Berrío.

She indicated that Panama will be one of the first countries to receive and administer the vaccine. “We hope to have the vaccine in the first quarter of next year,” she assured.

The Ministry of Health has already installed a work table to organize the vaccination process. Berrío indicated that there will be four phases: identification of those who will be vaccinated, the second will be everything concerning logistics, then the vaccination process and the last is the vaccination process.

To date, the Government has negotiated the purchase of 3 million doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine, based on mRNA from the American company Pfizer in association with BioNTech: one million 92 thousand doses from the British AstraZeneca UK Limited, in association with Oxford University; and also negotiates with the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson.

Panamá aprueba el uso por emergencia de la vacuna de Pfizer


ACCOMMODATIONS BEGIN FOR HABILITATION OF THE CITY OF HEALTH

This Wednesday, December 16, the adjustments to enable the area dedicated to Covid-19 within the City of Health began.

This, after the delivery of the order to proceed for the execution of these works, which will be carried out by a workforce of 900 people. Rolando Binns, medical director of the City of Health, explained that these adjustments that are made in the area corresponding to the Institute of Cardiology, respond to a response – country, to the health emergency that the world is experiencing.

He indicated that 300 beds will be enabled, of which, between 152 and 156, will be allocated to moderate patients; 48 of these available beds will be for special respiratory therapy patients and between 80-82 for critically ill patients, who are estimated to enter this area in a period of between 40 and 45 days. To achieve this purpose, the human contingent will be divided into groups of 300 workers per shift.

“They will work 24 hours for a month, and a little longer, to carry out this first attack, and give it the response that our country deserves,” he added.

Binns assumed responsibility from the hand of the National Government, being the first medical director of the City of Health, he echoed the words expressed by the director of the CSS, Dr. Enrique Lau Cortés and the Minister of Health, Francisco Sucre, to take extreme health measures to avoid contagion by Covid-19.

“It does not matter if we have availability, within 30 days, of 300 beds, the population corresponds to a very important part so that we do not have to use the beds in their total capacity, much less exceed it”, he concluded.

Inician adecuaciones para habilitación de la Ciudad de la Salud


CUT WORK DAYS DUE TO PANDEMIC ENDS IN DECEMBER

The Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel) reiterated yesterday that the reduction in working hours that was maintained for eight months after the coronavirus health crisis expires on December 31, 2020.

After that date, the 1971 labor code applies, which does not contemplate the reduction of wages.

The Mitradel reported that any modification to the working day from 2021 must be subject to a consensus between workers, unions and the company.

If the company wants to extend this measure, it has to reach a new agreement with the worker or the union as of 2021. But it must also demonstrate the reasons why it wants to extend it and establish the method of recovering the hours in the period of time it is agreed to reduce the working day.

According to Mitradel, they do not approve or disapprove of the measure, they only record the agreements, since it is a decision made by the owners of the company and the workers.

To date, the Mitradel has registered 25 thousand workers with modified working hours, after the crisis of the pandemic.

The Labor Code dating from 1971 in its article 159 establishes when a modification of the agreed salary can be made, which can only be done through a reduction in working hours. ‘

Eduardo Gil, general secretary of Trade Union Convergence, pointed out that the measure must be applied in accordance with what the law says “that only if the source of work is at risk, can the measure be extended.”

He clarified that the company can propose a new agreement or otherwise it can reinstate its workers in a normal way.

For the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama, Jean Pierre Leignadier force, the reactivation of employment puts the sustainability of companies at risk.

He indicated that from the beginning the proposal was to extend the possibility of maintaining the suspension of contracts beyond December 31.

“We asked to know the document before it was published to make our observations. However, that was not possible. Now we will make a deep analysis of what the Decree says and then issue other comments,” he said.

We are all interested in the recovery of companies and employment, but the reinstatement must be a decision of the company based on its needs and it is incongruous to talk about quarantine and at the same time talk about reactivation, Leignadier said.

For his part, the labor insertion expert, Rene Quevedo, said that workers and employers will have to reach new agreements based on the new economic realities.

“This agreement must be given to guarantee the sustainability of companies and jobs,” he added.

Only a small proportion of companies in Panama have funds to pay settlements due to the critical financial situation.

There are about three thousand companies that have liquidity funds for unemployment, according to the Labor Minister, Doris Zapata, in early December.

Currently Panama has more than 200 thousand registered companies, most of them are MSMEs that generate more than 80% of jobs.

The health crisis has severely hit five key sectors regarding the National Added Value and Employment, which generate 53% of Panama’s GDP.

These are the manufacturing industries with a 26.2% drop, construction (-52.9%), wholesale and retail trade (-24.6%), hotels and restaurants (-51.4%), and transportation, storage and communications (- 6.7%) According to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (Inec), the GDP could close with a drop of 14%, the largest contraction in recent years.

According to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (Inec), the GDP could close with a drop of 14%, the largest contraction in recent years.

Recorte de jornada laboral por pandemia finaliza en diciembre


STATUS UPDATE

Friday, December 11, 2020

PANAMA ACCUMULATES A TOTAL OF 187,779 DETECTED CASES OF INFECTION AND 3,309 DEATHS BY COVID-19

  • 187,779 positive cases
  • 2,355 new cases
  • 3,309 deaths
  • 23,290 home isolation (676 hospital hotels)
  • 1,434 are hospitalized (1,262 in ward / 172 intensive care)
  • 159,070 clinically recovered

Saturday, December 12, 2020

PANAMA ACCUMULATES A TOTAL OF 190,585 DETECTED CASES OF INFECTION AND 3,331 DEATHS BY COVID-19

  • 190,585 positive cases
  • 2,806 new cases
  • 3,331 deaths
  • 24,469 home isolation (696 hospital hotels)
  • 1,448 are hospitalized (1,265 in ward / 183 intensive care)
  • 160,641 clinically recovered

Sunday, December 13, 2020

PANAMA ACCUMULATES A TOTAL OF 193,007 DETECTED CASES OF INFECTION AND 3,356 DEATHS BY COVID-19

  • 193,007 positive cases
  • 2,422 new cases
  • 3,356 deaths
  • 25,392 home isolation (722 hospital hotels)
  • 1,432 are hospitalized (1,244 in ward / 188 intensive care)
  • 162,105 clinically recovered

Monday, December 14, 2020

PANAMA ACCUMULATES A TOTAL OF 194,619 DETECTED CASES OF INFECTION AND 3,382 DEATHS BY COVID-19

  • 194,619 positive cases
  • 1,612 new cases
  • 3,382 deaths
  • 25,730 home isolation (738 hospital hotels)
  • 1,435 are hospitalized (1,250 in ward / 185 intensive care)
  • 163,334 clinically recovered

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

PANAMA ACCUMULATES A TOTAL OF 196,987 DETECTED CASES OF INFECTION AND 3,411 DEATHS BY COVID-19

  • 196,987 positive cases
  • 2,368 new cases
  • 3,411 deaths
  • 26,489 home isolation (716 hospital hotels)
  • 1,516 are hospitalized (1,319 in ward / 197 intensive care)
  • 164,855 clinically recovered

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

PANAMA ACCUMULATES A TOTAL OF 199,947 DETECTED CASES OF INFECTION AND 3,439 DEATHS BY COVID-19

  • 199,947 positive cases
  • 2,960 new cases
  • 3,439 deaths
  • 27,657 home isolation (698 hospital hotels)
  • 1,553 are hospitalized (1,370 in ward / 183 intensive care)
  • 166,600 clinically recovered

Thursday, December 17, 2020

PANAMA ACCUMULATES A TOTAL OF 203,295 DETECTED CASES OF INFECTION AND 3,481 DEATHS BY COVID-19

  • 203,295 positive cases
  • 3,348 new cases
  • 3,481 deaths
  • 29,269 home isolation (744 hospital hotels)
  • 1,563 are hospitalized (1,390 in ward / 173 intensive care)
  • 168,238 clinically recovered

Coronavirus statistics from Day 1:

This table is only available online

Daily COVID-19 Cases

DateCasesDifferencePercentage of Cases
2023/07/23 - 2023/07/2910476963753.5%
2023/07/16 - 2023/07/2210473213214.6%
2023/07/09 - 2023/07/1510470004856.6%
2023/07/02 - 2023/07/0810465156637.8%
2023/06/18 - 2023/07/011045852190910.0%
2023/06/11 - 2023/06/171043943131211.8%
2023/06/04 - 2023/06/101042631130211.1%
2023/05/28 - 2023/06/031041329109911.3%
2023/05/21 - 2023/05/27104023083510.3%
2023/05/14 - 2023/05/2010393957538.9%
2023/05/07 - 2023/05/1310386426647.4%
2023/04/30 - 2023/05/0610379786545.8%
2023/04/03 - 2023/04/2910373245915.3%
2023/04/16 - 2023/04/2210367336334.9%
2023/04/09 - 2023/04/1510361007434.9%
2023/04/02 - 2023/04/081035357627
2023/03/26 - 2023/04/011034730949
2023/03/19 - 2023/03/2510337813123
2023/03/181030658108
2023/03/171030550123
2023/03/161030427112
2023/03/151030315121
2023/03/141030194144
2023/03/13103005043
2023/03/12103000751
2023/03/11102995674
2023/03/10102988286
2023/03/09102979685
2023/03/08102971191
2023/03/07102962090
2023/03/06102953025
2023/03/05102950555
2023/03/04102945065
2023/03/03102938550
2023/03/02102933591
2023/03/01102924473
DIFFERENCE IN NUMBER PUBLISHED BY MINSA1029171-221
2023/02/281029392110
2023/02/27102928231
2023/02/26102925138
2023/02/25102921363
2023/02/24102915066
2023/02/23102908442
2023/02/22102904214
2023/02/21102902838
2023/02/20102899014
2023/02/19102897622
2023/02/18102895453
2023/02/17102890160
2023/02/16102884150
2023/02/15102879158
2023/02/14102873378
2023/02/13102865523
2023/02/12102863234
2023/02/11102859893
2023/02/10102850567
2023/02/09102843871
2023/02/08102836776
2023/02/07102829177
2023/02/06102821435
2023/02/05102817925
2023/02/04102815487
2023/02/03102806773
2023/02/02102799470
2023/02/01102792493
2023/01/311027831112
2023/01/30102771935
2023/01/29102768443
2023/01/281027641103
2023/01/271027538100
2023/01/261027438117
2023/01/251027321104
2023/01/241027217116
2023/01/23102710151
2023/01/22102705049
2023/01/211027001112
2023/01/201026889115
2023/01/191026774138
2023/01/181026636134
2023/01/171026502163
2023/01/16102633958
2023/01/15102628169
2023/01/141026212126
2023/01/131026086172
2023/01/121025914201
2023/01/111025713221
2023/01/10102549283
2023/01/091025409104
2023/01/081025305118
2023/01/071025187190
2023/01/061024997271
2023/01/051024726358
2023/01/041024368240
2023/01/031024128115
2023/01/02102401376
2023/01/011023937153
2022/12/311023784319
2022/12/301023465346
2022/12/291023119404
2022/12/281022715460
2022/12/271022255165
2022/12/261022090104
2022/12/251021986268
2022/12/241021718360
2022/12/231021358425
2022/12/221020933689
2022/12/211020244236
2022/12/201020008582
2022/12/191019426205
2022/12/181019221320
2022/12/171018901516
2022/12/161018385675
2022/12/151017710731
2022/12/1410169791029
2022/12/1310159501033
2022/12/121014917398
2022/12/111014519608
2022/12/1010139111142
2022/12/0910127691096
2022/12/081011673400
2022/12/0710112731742
2022/12/0610095311245
2022/12/051008286495
2022/12/041007791598
2022/12/0310071931104
2022/12/0210060891260
2022/12/0110048291378
2022/11/3010034511615
2022/11/291001836610
2022/11/281001226513
2022/11/271000713611
2022/11/2610021021105
2022/11/2510009971223
2022/11/249997741210
2022/11/239985641103
2022/11/229974611023
2022/11/21996438350
2022/11/20996088421
2022/11/19995667731
2022/11/18994936624
2022/11/17994312446
2022/11/16993866459
2022/11/15993407571
2022/11/1499283698
2022/11/13992738174
2022/11/12992564307
2022/11/11992257102
2022/11/10992155231
2022/11/09991924260
2022/11/08991664309
2022/11/0799135598
2022/11/0699125765
2022/11/05991192115
2022/11/0499107769
2022/11/03991008172
2022/11/02990836157
2022/11/01990679175
2022/10/3199050477
2022/10/3099042773
2022/10/29990354175
2022/10/28990178118
2022/10/27990060114
2022/10/26989946144
2022/10/25989802138
2022/10/2498966452
2022/10/2398961264
2022/10/2298954899
2022/10/21989449114
2022/10/2098933573
2022/10/19989262109
2022/10/18989153120
2022/10/1798903339
2022/10/1698899449
2022/10/15988945110
2022/10/1498883598
2022/10/13988737109
2022/10/12988628123
2022/10/11988505184
2022/10/1098832153
2022/10/0998826848
2022/10/08988220109
2022/10/07988111105
2022/10/06988006121
2022/10/05987885138
2022/10/04987747111
2022/10/0398763642
2022/10/0298759441
2022/10/01987553108
2022/09/3098744592
2022/09/2998735396
2022/09/28987257128
2022/09/27987129150
2022/09/2698697976
2022/09/2598690397
2022/09/24986806156
2022/09/23986650147
2022/09/22986503167
2022/09/21986336175
2022/09/20986161221
2022/09/1998594067
2022/09/18985873119
2022/09/17985754169
2022/09/16985585218
2022/09/15985367280
2022/09/14985087270
2022/09/13984817323
2022/09/12984494122
2022/09/11984372198
2022/09/10984174314
2022/09/09983860337
2022/09/08983523383
2022/09/07983140393
2022/09/06982747497
2022/09/05982250192
2022/09/04982058296
2022/09/03981762406
2022/09/02981356487
2022/09/01980869614
2022/08/31980255629
2022/08/30979626770
2022/08/29978856296
2022/08/28978560439
2022/08/27978121717
2022/08/26977404762
2022/08/25976642913
2022/08/24975729974
2022/08/239747551077
2022/08/22973678339
2022/08/21973339539
2022/08/20972800919
2022/08/19971881958
2022/08/18970923969
2022/08/179699541157
2022/08/16968797976
2022/08/15967821479
2022/08/14967342563
2022/08/13966779845
2022/08/129659251031
2022/08/119648941119
2022/08/109637751167
2022/08/099626081233
2022/08/08961375441
2022/08/07960934634
2022/08/06960300897
2022/08/059594031046
2022/08/04958357905
2022/08/039574521010
2022/08/029564421099
2022/08/01955343413
2022/07/31954930561
2022/07/30954369800
2022/07/29953569930
2022/07/28952639904
2022/07/279517351052
2022/07/269506831160
2022/07/25949523502
2022/07/24949021548
2022/07/23948473838
2022/07/22947635944
2022/07/219466911002
2022/07/209456891184
2022/07/199445051160
2022/07/18943345534
2022/07/17942811728
2022/07/169420831137
2022/07/159409461182
2022/07/14939764943
2022/07/139388211424
2022/07/129373971713
2022/07/11935684704
2022/07/10934980863
2022/07/099341172007
2022/06/089321101578
2022/06/079305321693
2022/06/069288391762
2022/06/059270771137
2022/06/04925940686
2022/06/0392525492616.9%
2022/06/02924328133817.1%
2022/06/01922990162618.3%
2022/06/30921364162413.9%
2022/06/29919740182818.3%
2022/06/28917912198918.8%
2022/06/2791592388618.0%
2022/06/26915057112518.9%
2022/06/25913932158418.0%
2022/06/24912348182619.3%
2022/06/23910522213019.7%
2022/06/22908392195718.7%
2022/06/21906435208019.0%
2022/06/2090435582618.6%
2022/06/19903529114319.0%
2022/06/18902386205319.2%
2022/06/17900333145114.9%
2022/06/16898882195819.1%
2022/06/15896924208018.7%
2022/06/14894844238919.5%
2022/06/13892455110618.5%
2022/06/12891349138918.3%
2022/06/11889960232319.1%
2022/06/10887637259119.5%
2022/06/09885046279320.5%
2022/06/08882253324421.2%
2022/06/07879009352321.9%
2022/06/06875486169220.6%
2022/06/05873794194220.5%
2022/06/04871852305622.4%
2022/06/03868796329622.3%
2022/06/02865500378922.7%
2022/06/01861711344322%
2022/05/31858268381922.6%
2022/05/30854449184222.2%
2022/05/29852607212321.1%
2022/05/28850484310922.4%
2022/05/27847375367824.1%
2022/05/26843697395124.4%
2022/05/25839746382522.7%
2022/05/24835921387624.3%
2022/05/23832045175820.8%
2022/05/22830287216720.7%
2022/05/21828120320322.7%
2022/05/20824917341720%
2022/05/19821500384222%
2022/05/18817658350620.7%
2022/05/17814152391022.2%
2022/05/16810242179921.4%
2022/05/15808443216620.8%
2022/05/14806277305421.8%
2022/05/13803223324823.3%
2022/05/12799975351421.7%
2022/05/11796461332421.5%
2022/05/10793137330721.5%
2022/05/09789830135922.4%
2022/05/08788471161521.1%
2022/05/07786856267221.6%
2022/05/06784184191920.5%
2022/05/05782265211718.4%
2022/05/04780148183817.9%
2022/05/0377831065214.3%
2022/05/0277765853811.9%
2022/05/0177712070013.3%
2022/04/3077642093212.1%
2022/04/2977548893912.3%
2022/04/2877454987412.2%
2022/04/2777367584511.2%
2022/04/267728307449.9%
2022/04/257720862677.1%
2022/04/247718194816.3%
2022/04/237714864817.6%
2022/04/227710055428.4%
2022/04/217704634877.9%
2022/04/207699765197.4%
2022/04/197694574796.7%
2022/04/187689781845.4%
2022/04/177687942005.1%
2022/04/167685941245.0%
2022/04/157684702716.2%
2022/04/147681993646.3%
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2020/06/0515463418
2020/06/0415044435
2020/06/0314609514
2020/06/0214095258
2020/06/0113837374
2020/05/3113463445
2020/05/3013018487
2020/05/2912531400
2020/05/2812131 403
2020/05/2711728281
2020/05/2611447264
2020/05/2511183257
2020/05/2410926259
2020/05/2310577156
2020/05/2210267151
2020/05/2110116139
2020/05/209977110
2020/05/199867141
2020/05/189726120
2020/05/179606157
2020/05/169449181
2020/05/159268150
2020/05/149118274
2020/05/138944161
2020/05/128783167
2020/05/118616168
2020/05/108448166
2020/05/098282212
2020/05/088070202
2020/05/077868137
2020/05/067731208
2020/05/057523136
2020/05/047387190
2020/05/037197107
2020/05/027090370
2020/05/016720188
2020/04/306532195
2020/04/296378178
2020/04/286200179
2020/04/276021242
2020/04/265779241
2020/04/255538200
2020/04/245338172
2020/04/235166174
2020/04/224992171
2020/04/214820162
2020/04/204658191
2020/04/194467194
2020/04/18427363
2020/04/174210194
2020/04/164016265
2020/04/153751177
2020/04/143574102
2020/04/13347272
2020/04/123400166
2020/04/113234260
2020/04/102974222
2020/04/092752224
2020/04/082528279
2020/04/072249149
2020/04/062100112
2020/04/051988187
2020/04/041801128
2020/04/031673198
2020/04/021475158
2020/04/011317136
2020/03/311181106
2020/03/30107586
2020/03/2998988
2020/03/28901115
2020/03/27786112
2020/03/26674116
2020/03/25558115
2020/03/2444398
2020/03/2334532
2020/03/2231368
2020/03/2124545
2020/03/2020063
2020/03/1913728
2020/03/1810923
2020/03/178617
2020/03/166914
2020/03/155512
2020/03/14437
2020/03/13369
2020/03/122713
2020/03/11146
2020/03/1087
2020/03/0910
This is a list of the number of cases per day since the first case was discovered in Panama

END NOTES

A good friend of mine posted this recently on his Facebook page.  So, I wholeheartedly decided to bold-faced steal it and use it to my fancy.  I told my youngest son Brandon to read it, to see if he got the joke and he didn’t at first.  Then I told him to “sing” the words in his best Christmasy tune.  Still nothing.  THEN, a couple of hours later, I played the Bing Crosby version of “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” while Brandon was playing a video game and I watched as the correlation snuck up on his cute little subconscious like a snake to its prey.  “Oh, hey Dad, I get the joke!!!” and he burst out laughing at his own silliness.


Stay safe…  Stay healthy…  And by all means (unless you cave and delve into the deepest darkest depths of your soul, remembering that you need to get just one… more… gift for that special someone that you totally forgot about) STAY HOME!!…