Day 10 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 30 March 2020 — Mondays are always complicated. But this one dawned calm, with the city in a rare silence although the chimney of the Ñico López refinery had one of the tallest columns of smoke I can remember. The sound of the birds filled the dawn in this neighborhood where the fury … Continue reading “Day 10 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba”

Day 9 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 29 March 2020 — The phone rang early this Sunday and I came back from a dream. I was sheltering in a parallel reality and the ringer brought me back. On the other end of the line, a Cienfuegos inmate was reeling off his troubles. He has been sentenced to four … Continue reading “Day 9 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba”

Day 8 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 28 March 2020 — Today a street vendor broke the morning silence with his proclamation of coconut and guava cakes, which he described as “original,” but few neighbors dared to go down from the concrete blocks of the neighborhood. Between the need to search for supplies and the fear of contagion, this time … Continue reading “Day 8 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba”

Day 7 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 27 March 2020 — Unlike other Fridays, on this one there are no calls to get together with friends, appointments ahead of the weekend or preparations to go out on Saturday and Sunday. During a quarantine every day is the same, they pass without much change and with little commotion. The challenge and … Continue reading “Day 7 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba”

Day 6 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 26 March 2020 — Staying at home is still the best way to defend against the enemy who is out there and who has infected 67 people in Cuba, two of whom have died, with another 1,603 in forced isolation, according to official figures published this Thursday. In a country where there … Continue reading “Day 6 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba”

Day 5 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 25 March 2020 – The floors are not made of wood, nor is it snowing outside, but in front of Chucho’s door there is a row of shoes. The retiree and his family have taken extreme measures to avoid contagion with the coronavirus and now, to enter his apartment – a few … Continue reading “Day 5 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba”

Day 4 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 4 March 2020 — Last night I dreamed of suitcases. I lost my belongings which fell into a deep dark hole. My nightmare seems to have been motivated by the phone conversation I had with a friend shortly before going to bed and a couple of hours after the new measures … Continue reading “Day 4 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba”

Day 3 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 23 March 2020 — Mondays are always complicated. The neighborhood agricultural market, the epicenter of our commercial life, is closed; the building’s elevator is more congested than usual; and the water supply is less due to the “excesses” of cleaning and washing on the weekend. And now, to all this, we … Continue reading “Day 3 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba”

Day 2 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 22 March 2020 — It’s Sunday and the clotheslines in the building are about to snap from the weight of the clothes. This morning they turned the water pump on early and families rushed to wash everything that had accumulated during the week. School uniforms are the priority, although many hope … Continue reading “Day 2 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba”

Day 1 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 21 March 2020 — I got up before the sun came up and had a coffee on the balcony, 14 floors above the ground. The city was still silent and dark. A few hours earlier they had announced measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus on the Island, so this Saturday we … Continue reading “Day 1 of the Covid-19 Emergency in Cuba”