This week, American students filled the beaches and nightclubs of Florida and Cancun (Mexico), more interested in Corona beer than in Coronavirus, ignoring for days the precautionary measures in the face of the pandemic. Until reality calls them to order.
The “Spring Break”, university spring break, is normally the peak of the season in Cancùn, thousands of students come to party. Even if the pandemic situation makes the beach more sparse, it is still not deserted: there are still gatherings, tourists next to each other on the sand. In the city center, the situation is the same: tourists wander quietly. The second economy in Latin America, so dependent on trade and tourism, is struggling to respond. “It didn’t change anything for the spring break because the clubs are full these days and we hope they will stay full, and that there will be a lot of people in the hotels“explains an employee of a tour operator on site without blinking.
However, in the capital Mexico, even if there is no quarantine or curfew in place, measures have been taken. If some citizens protect themselves, there are still far too many of them. It must be said that the president of the republic himself does not really set an example since he claims to have a protective shield against the Coronavirus. In a press conference in front of a room full of journalists who did not respect the safety distance, Andrés Manuel López Obrador showed his talismans: “The heart of Jesus is with me. I have no enemy, but adversaries. And I have a dream, that our people do not suffer. I want our people to be happy, happy, happy, happy“. Some criticize President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador’s resistance to travel bans or work stoppages.
Young holidaymakers warned
In the United States, this week, the beaches of Florida were still full of people, even if the authorities ordered them closed at sunset. “If I catch the corona, too bad! I won’t let this thing keep me from partying“exclaimed a young tourist. Social networks ignited against the unconsciousness of these students, who posted photos of parties where the concept of” social distance “has clearly not been integrated. Even President Donald Trump warned young holidaymakers on Wednesday of the danger of the virus. “We don’t want them to come together, and I see them doing it like on the beaches or in restaurants“, he lamented.
The city of Miami Beach decided that the party was over and took action, not always followed. “You are not invincible, said Mayor Dan Gelber on Tuesday when addressing young people. You have to think about the person next to you and even those you do not know. You have to stop this type of activity now, it’s not funny and it has devastating consequences“.
In Miami, bars, nightclubs and gyms closed Tuesday at 11:00 p.m. until further notice, restaurants only sell take-out and gatherings of more than ten people are now prohibited in parks and on The beaches.
Now the United States has more cases (26,747) than Spain (25,496) and become the third most affected country in the world. They also have 340 deaths, with Washington and New York states as epicenters (94 and 70 deaths). Figures that will perhaps make those who still want to party on the beach think.
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