What’s Going On in Panama

Things continue to feel better here. For us personally, the band played Friday evening for the first time since March of last year. It was great. We also went out last night to hear the other band who plays at the Brewery on Saturdays and again, live music, people, friends, and good times. There is traffic in town and restaurants are open and well attended. People continue to wear masks (everyone, everywhere) and do their best with social distancing, and reservations are required for restaurants to keep people from crowding and piling up, but life is definitely happening.

As far as I can tell from news reports, the delta variant has not come into Panama, thank goodness. COVID continues to be a problem, of course, but the numbers have been starting to gradually decrease in the last week or two. And, even better news, a large amount of Pfizer vaccine has been arriving in the country, and they have had the personnel and means to ramp up the pace of vaccinations accordingly. In July, 1.1 million doses of vaccine were given! (this is a country of about 4.4 million people) (Plateau of cases and 1.1 million vaccinated in July | The Panama Press (prensa.com) It wasn’t that long ago that we were lucky to get 40,000 doses a week in the country. Now they have opened vaccines to everyone over 16, and those 12-16 with chronic conditions.

We passed two drive up (or walk in) vaccination clinics on our way to Boquete yesterday. The sign says “Vaccinate yourself. We are together in this”

On non-Covid subjects, life continues to be pretty chill in general. It’s rainy season, and we’ve had a number of days of heavier than expected rains and flooding in some areas. But I still prefer the rain to the summer months when the sun beats down, it gets hotter and hotter, and everything gets dry and crispy.

The birds are still singing, the bugs continue to do their thing in the yard (and sometimes in the house). My friends and neighbors continue to be well, and are very happy that the younger ones among us can now be vaccinated. There really isn’t much more to say which is a very good thing.

I hate to see the news from the US though, with more and more people sick and dying, in addition to draughts, fires, and other bad things. You all be careful out there and take care of yourselves and each other!