As I write this article, I am reminded of the chilling figures that are being counted around the world as a result of the infectious disease caused by the Covid-19 virus, more than a million cases infected, 75,000 people have died and, on the positive side, more than 230,000 people have been infected and have managed to recover. It is certain that when you read this article the figures will be different, because unfortunately, the pandemic has claimed many more victims.
We live in times that are difficult to understand. Throughout the day, while the vast majority of us remain in confinement, a multitude of conflicting feelings and emotions arise within us. The uncertainty about the "new" normality, the fear generated by the new disease, the perplexity of the economic situation, the pain and sorrow for the loss of our loved ones without having been able to watch over them and dedicate the necessary time to say goodbye to them, may be some of the trances through which we pass. But we will overcome it, I have no doubt.
The much-discussed state of alarm that was approved on March 14, 2020 by the President of the Government Pedro Sánchez, as established in Royal Decree 463/2020, of March 14, has substantially serious economic, labor and social consequences. No government, in my opinion, was prepared to assume unforeseen and unprecedented circumstances such as the one we are going through. For this reason, Spain was caught off guard, and began to take action when the virus had begun a dizzying escalation and spread. Given the unique reality that the central government has had to face, as primarily responsible, making undoubtedly enormously difficult decisions that represent enormous damage to health and economic activity. However, the support of a large part of the opposition to the three extensions requested, with the demands taken by the executive's committee of experts, in the Congress of Deputies, cannot be underestimated. Thus, the public authorities must act, as in principle they are doing, in accordance with the legal system with responsibility and lending a hand for the common good.
Indeed, the declaration of the state of alarm leads us to be subjected to the limitation of our rights and freedoms, which translate into the fact that we suddenly cannot leave our homes when we want, we cannot go to work or to the University, we cannot go to basic non-essential services, all this always except for well-founded exceptions. That is, in constitutional terms, we are facing an affectation of the general and fundamental principle of freedom.
The Covid-19 pandemic that is ravaging the planet has half of humanity confined to their homes and a good part of the economic and business fabric with the handbrake on. With this, it is needless to say, our so denigrated Welfare State has also been damaged and questioned. This will be analyzed at the appropriate time
These days I ask myself numerous questions, how will we rebuild our economy? How will we resume communications? What shock plans will renew the tourism market that has been maintained until now? What will the return to the new normality be like? What will the treatment of our loyal tourists be like in the Canary Islands? What will social relations be like on the way back? But these are just some. Naturally, I don't have the answer to any question. I get up every day and try to find them in the various national and island newspapers that I view, in an objective introspection that I make of the circumstances, but I still cannot find a solution. I understand that it is an arduous, slow task, a calm return that will have to adjust to that of the Canary Islands as a whole, the Peninsula, Europe, and therefore, the world. Thus, when this health crisis ends, our country, like the rest of Europe, and a large part of the world, will bear on its shoulders
a large economic debt, which we will certainly overcome despite the efforts that have to be put into it.
All of the above leads me to two reflections: the first of them, relating to the situation of disfavor generated by a crisis. In this sense, our executive plays a crucial role; we have seen how it announced that it will approve a temporary vital minimum income to address the social emergency of many Spanish families caused by the coronavirus. This minimum income will range between 500 and 950 euros, approximately, depending on the number of people who make up the family unit. It has also been done from the Canary Islands, the Torres government has approved the emergency income for the families most affected by this health crisis, making the Canary Islands, as a result, the first Autonomous Community to give protection and coverage to the most vulnerable, as well as to our elders who gave us so much support in the previous economic contest by contributing their savings and their pensions so that many families could get ahead; our boys and girls and our excluded.
On the other hand, another of the reflections to which this health emergency has led me, which has put the planet to the limit and in which humanity (needless to say, not all) sees its levels of well-being limited to which we were so accustomed; it is none other than: we can live with much less, that systems like the one in which we live that is indifferent to great inequalities and injustices only cause us pain and impotence; that the material is not everything; that we must promote values such as humility, social justice, equality, solidarity as we have seen in recent weeks; that the flu that the health, educational, economic, social dimensions suffer must be reinforced and cured in order to strengthen a public system that serves the entire citizenry. After this situation, the world will re-emerge and draw coordinates of new consensuses, I have no doubt. But, please, let it be united, and without leaving anyone behind, no one (excluded, discriminated, self-employed, SMEs, the elderly, children...)
Now what is needed is to continue complying with the established measures because we are all obliged to give the best of each one in this challenge that we are going through, so supporting each other to overcome it is crucial.
