COVID-19

When will people understand this virus?

DR recorded it's 4th consecutive day of a daily positivity rate of under 10% - yesterday it was 8.28% and the rolling 4 week average was 11.44%. But there are still areas like POP and places in the Cibao with near 20% positivity so the challenge remains to avoid a reversal of fortunes.

So curfew and mask wearing does work.

In contrast, we see Europe and North America going steeply in the wrong direction. Europe is having to impose strict controls and curfews again and the USA is into record breaking 90,000 daily cases mode now with 100k plus looking ominous.

For the doubters, you can't ignore this virus. Ignore it and it roars back and stiffles economic activity. To live with it, society must change their ways of living until some medical control comes along in the years to come - hopefully.

DR appears to have found a way. We are living with plenty but not complete freedom and have lively economic activity. A small sacrifice has paid dividends.

If the people understand as much as the best experts in the world do, it would mean that most of the pandemic is what scientists call 'controversial'.   And stats in the dr.........how naive can that be to believe any stats here?

The DR has been much more transparent than many countries. Despite lacking the resources of richer nations they test as much as they can and publish results nationally and by province daily on time. Nothing hidden or politicised.

To be frank, I believe the DR figures now more than western contries.

And the key indicators are positivity and hospitalisations and they are good in DR...not to mention death rate.

Now show me low positivity and no stress on hospital services in Europe and North America where reported new cases are spiralling out of control if you can...duhh.

It can change here quickly if the controls are relaxed. So lets enjoy the freedom and economic life blood we have been given by our governments sound science based controls.

The Punta Cana area incl Bavaro, Veron, Friusa is in good shape.  Very little inconvenience that I see.  Everyone wearing masks, checking temperatures, disinfectant, social distancing.  All working well.

It's also important to note some differences in Punta Cana.  Many restaurants, bars etc. have outdoor facilities.  We do not have great big indoor buildings with many people clustering together.  The couple of malls that are active, follow protocol and do not seem to be an issue or concern.  Otherwise people are generally outdoors...

I do not see any reason for tourists to avoid Punta Cana area.  Regarding COVID, It is better here in PC than in most parts of the world and controls are in place and are being followed.  We are looking forward to having people return to the area.

Thats evidence that the pragmatic approach by the DR government is working.

Drive the numbers down with workable controls and keep them down and test, trace and isolate.

The US is a disaster compared to where?  Maybe you didn't notice all the second waves, freaking put in Europe and elswhere.

Got it, you are that naive ....to accept dr stats. In the area im in  mpst dpnt even wear masks, and are partying like it was 1969. When I ask them howxmany have died, they have no idea, and dont know any who have died or even had it.

Let's keep the USA and Europe out of this other than potential impact on DR.

They are all very poor examples of effective covid19 management and demonstrate so clearly that you cannot relax measures by vacationing, opening bars, restaurants and  people assembly activities, not have universal mask use and expect to return to normal, and instead get a big kick back and more economic damage. We should educate against such failed and in some cases non scientific ideas.

Good examples are Asian countries and Autralasia that have got the case levels down to low numbers and have the testing ability to then test, track, trace and isolate and keep numbers low.

DR isn't that bad either!

This way economies recover and people get some level of real freedom in tough times.

Todays bulletin:

Tests   7023
Day positivity  7.91%
4 week rolling average  11%
Hospital, ICU and ventilator occupanccy all down.
419 new cases of which 50 are in Puerto Plata, 1 in Samana, 5 in La Altagracia, 5 in La Romana, 76 in DN, 58 in Santiago and 83 in Santo Domingo, 20 in San Cristobal, 24 in La Vega and 27 in SFM.

This is a city and town problem primarily and it is those people that ignore social distancing with clandestine parties that are continuing the spread in these centres of population and which could easily transmit to other more rural areas if not stopped. Puerto Plata is not following the guidelines and is the 3rd worst effected part of DR - in reality the worst based upon population. So much for the poor non mask use example set by some expats there.

Glad to see that you, like others who previously looked up to Europe, dont anymore.  Now you make the false analogy of comparing to small asian places, and islands...singapore, Taiwan, new zealand, etc...also bogus.   The US can only be compared to other huge counties, heterogeneous, complicated ones.

We dont want to hear about the USA. Its in a deep mess just like India and Brazil. Europe too. Nothing for anybody to learn to learn from such a massive abject failure at a federal government level except how absolutely not to manage it.

When you ignore science you screw your society and economy.

At least DR is doing far better.

And yes we can all learn from more populous China and all other populated Asian and Australasian nations on good covid19 management.

It is naive not to recognize their successes in comparison - along with those of this poorer nation of DR.

WOW.  Let's not be discriminative or hateful towards anyone based on the country that they are from or for any other reason.

Colonel your comments aren't acceptable.

Keep the conversation focused on DR and there will be no bashing going on.

Somebody else mentioned something about the US, something false, and I rebutted him.

My Comments were directed to lennoxnev.  His comments are the unacceptable ones.  "We dont want to hear about the USA. Its in a deep mess just like India and Brazil. Europe too. Nothing for anybody to learn to learn from such a massive abject failure at a federal government level except how absolutely not to manage it."

This virus does not discrminate against any nationality.

We should be thankful that the DR government has learnt from past mistakes and is bearing down on this virus and so reducing positivity and hospitalizations not to mention deaths.

There is nothing to learn from countries that cant control the virus especially those with 9 million cases, 91k daily and approaching a quarter of a muilion deaths. That is abject government failure and represnts no critique of the suffering American people for whom I have great sympathy at their dilemma.

Indeed, perhaps there is a sense of embarassment and despair from those from western nations to see the DR, Asian and Australasian governments doing so much better with covid19.

I don't find anything inaccurate or offensive with Lennox's comments. I would comment further but run the risk of stepping on someone's patriotism. I'll just say this...put down the flag and just look at results and what has worked and what hasn't from a scientific perspective. If you dare.

The moderator just scolded us for mentioning other countries.

The moderator just scolded us for mentioning other countries.

I think one thing that is not being mentioned about the DR is that kids have not returned to school like many other countries have.  Let's see what happens next week when they do.

I thought they are all remote learning or mostly remote learning?  I don't have kids so I haven't paid a lot of attention.

Yes, education in covid19 times is a massive challenge for DR:

Minister of Education ensures that everything is ready for the start of classes next Monday

https://proceso.com.do/2020/10/27/minis … imo-lunes/

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.- Next Monday, November 2, the Dominican Republic will enter the challenge of education at the initial, basic and secondary levels, in the virtual modality and through radio and television.

The Minister of Education, Roberto Fúlcar described the training for almost 100% of public teachers and more than 20,000 educators in the sector as a success.

He also assured that the textbooks with which students will reinforce learning at home have already been taken to all homes.

"This is a completed stage, as they also prioritized curricular content, which has already become content and in turn into a kind of scripts, so that at this time 15 producers are converting it into virtual content for classes," he said Fulcar.

The Ministry of Education and the Fundación Inicia Educación, renewed the collaboration agreement for the development of initiatives to improve education in times of pandemic.

The executive director of Inicia Education assured that with the renewal of the agreement they consolidate efforts to promote new opportunities within the educational field.

"We are consistently supporting the objectives we have as a country and actively helping to solve the challenges that the pandemic has placed on us," he said.

With the company Inicia Educación, it undertakes to collaborate with the training of 512 initial level teachers and 14 thousand secondary teachers under an orientation strategy in collaboration with the European Union.

They have been doing remote learning since September but classes are starting next week in person...

I don't think so in public schools.   Maybe in private schools?

I believe it must be mixed.  Some of my Dominican family members are starting virtual next week.  Some are in physical classes but they might be private or an exception.   My son has been attending classes in person since September.  Unfortunately the lack of relative information in this country is quite normal.  Nevertheless once students are back in real classes, will give us a whole new set of problems.

Yes too many kids in classrooms isn't going to be good!

Bulletin #226

We crept back above 10% yesterday with a day positivity of 10.24% whilst the rolling average dropped to 10.72%.

There were 8686 new cases and a total of 8737 tests.

There were increases to UCI and ventilator assisted beds occupied but a drop in hospital beds used.

The spread of new cases was quite wide. 265  cases in Santo Domingo and DN, 50 in Santiago, 46 in La Vega, 40 Baoruco, 35 MTS, 20 POP, 41 San Cristobal, 22 in each of Valverde and Monsenor Nouel, 21 La Altagracia, 17 Espaillat to name a few.

Positivity remains, low but to relax could easily increase the spread quickly as we see elsewhere worldwide. The enforced town and city curfews here - especially weekends (less so in the campo) stops mobility around the country and anything arising from the clandestine fiestas/street parties stays in one place.

Bulletin 227.   I'm doing a survey , and compiling stats on how many actually know of anybody who has died from covid.  I mean not just HEARD of somebody having died, but knows of somebody who did.  Send in your responses and I'll tabulate them.

I know 7 who have died and at least 2 with long term complications.

I have three employees who have had it.

Almost nobody but maybe a soldier or doctor has known 7 people who have died in one year, muchless from one single cause.

So - what are you saying?????   You seriously want to infer I am lying?

No, its possible you're an outlier and the first person in my life that has known 7 people to have died in less than a year. Next, how can you be sure that they all died of covid since we know that many other deaths are simply listed as covid?   This has been attested to by hc workers.

I know each and every one of them personally. 

The argument that many are listed as covid but they died from " whatever" is BS conspiracy crap.  Their are known medical definitions of "cause of death".  Follow the science.

I am pretty sure in hard hit areas I am not the only person who knows several who have died.

Yes, I agree, unusual to know 7.

Until people undestand and accept this virus infects, kills and imposes long term damage on 10% to 30% of those infected and consequentially damages economies and peoples lives, we are going nowhere other than more crisis.

Ignorance by some of the virus  is creating huge economic damage and will do until reality sets in.

Thankfully the DR government is in a proactive mode tring to supress the virus.

That is the only current option.

Police and military have upped the stakes this Sunday. They have come into the campo and closed all the colmados down in all villages and towns in the area. Arrived pre 7.00 pm and made it clear.

If you want to suppress conglomerations for sure Sunday is the day to do it.

Bulletin #231;

The rolling average positivity has dropped below 10% to 9.88%, but yesterdays day positivity was at 14.65%. There were 546 new cases but hospital bed, UCI and mechanical vetilator numbers all dropped.

It is a balanced situation. The spread could easily accelerate with 19,914 active cases.

Maybe it has been overshadowed by  the election but the USA did record 107,771 new cases yesterday. With high season starting shortly and more hotels opening soon along with more flights planned and few options without tough controls on option for American tourists this high season, DR will be an easy travel choice. As such, there is a risk for DR even though to date few imported cases have been reported through the limited airport checks.

I doubt if DR will be seeing many tourists from Europe with the lockdowns and tougher controls there.

So far the DR government has balanced everthing well, so we should support their approach but hope they monitor the daily new cases in Samana (higher yesterday), POP still regularly in double figures and La Altagracia and enforce hotel and restaurant protocols strictly.

Right now, I am not even sure a high season will occur this season even with more flights and hotels opening. Limited tourism from Europe and US is not getting much traction even with more flights starting.

You have many people not travelling because of Covid and economy right behind though not mentioned in same breath for many.

Minister of Tourism meets with the ambassador and the consul general of the United States

http://mitur.gob.do/ministro-de-turismo … os-unidos/

SANTO DOMINGO, RD.- The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, received the ambassador and the consul general of the United States in his office today, where they reviewed the tourism situation.

During the meeting, which lasted for more than half an hour, Ambassador Robin Bernstein and the Consul General of the United States, William Swaney and Minister Collado discussed the health protocols that the Dominican Republic has implemented to guarantee the well-being of visitors. and employees of tourist centers.

The US diplomat described the dialogue she held with the Minister of Tourism as a "productive conversation" and assured that her government will continue to collaborate with the Dominican Republic in the tourism area.

Minister of Tourism meets with US Ambassador Robin Bernstein
“For the United States, our top priority is the safety and well-being of American citizens. We had a wonderful and productive conversation on how we can ensure their safety while visiting the Dominican Republic, so the United States will continue to be the Dominican Republic's main partner, ”Ambassador Bernstein said.

Minister Collado described the meeting as "very fruitful" and pointed out that during the meeting various issues of the sector were discussed, among which he cited the health protocols that are being implemented by the Dominican authorities, together with the private sector, as part of the program of Responsable tourism.

"We also discussed the safety of North American tourists with the issue of COVID-19," said the Minister of Tourism.

He commented that the ambassador and the consul general of the United States congratulated him "for the way we are working and the transparency with which we work in the Ministry of Tourism."

"We appreciate hearing directly about the measurements that are being taken and the metrics that are being tracked," said Consul General William Swaney.

"We appreciate the coordinated way in which the Ministry of Tourism is working with partners like CESTUR in an integrated way."

The official highlighted what the United States represents for the total recovery of tourism in the Dominican Republic, since more than sixty percent of those who visit the country come from North America.


I bet that the big rises of covid19 in the USA was a DR concern - 108k Wednesday and 121K Thursday.

The Government has no plans to eliminate curfew on Christmas and New Years
Abinader says he does not want a regrowth in the Dominican Republic

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … GH22524354

The Government has no plans to eliminate curfew on Christmas and New Years

The Government is not contemplating eliminating the curfew and other restriction measures currently in place to control the coronavirus for Black Friday and the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The President of the Republic said that good measures have been taken to control the spread of COVID-19 in the country, and also pointed out that the countries where there was a total opening of the economy and activities, there was a resurgence of infections.

Although he stressed that the final decision will be made by the technicians and the health cabinet led by Vice President Raquel Peña, he said that the gradualness with which the measures in the state of emergency have been made more flexible have allowed COVID-19 to be controlled.

“So far this gradualness has paid off for the country. If you observe other countries that have fully opened, there has been a reappearance that we do not want in the Dominican Republic ”, he said at the conclusion of the session of the Council of Ministers in San Cristóbal where he announced an investment of more than 2,000 million pesos in infrastructure works , schools, hospitals and museum.

This is a good idea.
If RD is known - or seen - to be having  an outbreak - an out of control increase in cases,
it can only be bad for tourism...... and the population