Anne Ruelle, Peace Corps Volunteer and lived there a total of 5 years, 2013-2018
“My husband is a Salvadoran pediatrician. To get to work, he goes through 5-6 military checkpoints where he has to show proof that he is an essential worker. If they were to find that he isn't, or doesn't have proof, they would confiscate his car and license and send him to a quarantine center. In the hospital where he works (a semi-public/private hospital part of their national health system), there has been no leadership on how to respond to COVID-19. It's left up to each individual how they respond and protect themselves, with some doctors saying they "don't believe" in COVID. Doctors from different hospitals have been rotating and doing shifts in different places, increasing the possibilities for infection. Recently, a doctor that Rafa has worked with tested positive. Rafa and his coworkers were told to isolate themselves at home, but that they had to keep coming to work and that they would be tested. When the day for testing came, they almost didn't test everyone who was in contact with the doctor who had COVID. Rafa and his coworkers called their union and the media and protested the violation of pandemic protocols. Finally, they were tested and taken to a quarantine center. In El Salvador, they are using different hotels as quarantine sites, which means that Rafa is sharing a unit with three other employees. They didn't have water for 20 hours and had to ask for donations of food for the first few days. Soldiers patrol outside to make sure no one leaves their buildings, and no one is allowed to bring in aluminum, glass, or sharp objects (these are the kinds of rules that exist for prisons).”
Country’s Response:
“El Salvador shut their borders. No foreigners are allowed in the country. Any citizens or residents returning from abroad are sent to a 30-day quarantine, which has been incredibly disorganized (people who tested positive have been put together with people who tested negative). Only one person per household is permitted to leave home every 15 days to purchase food, medicine, or other necessary goods, and they must carry a notarized letter stating this. Hundreds of people have been arrested for violating the stay at home order.”
Current Situation:
“The number of cases is relatively low and mostly limited to folks who have come in from other countries. However, there are incredible violations of human rights and an authoritarian power grab from the president taking advantage of current conditions.”
Learn More:
Human Rights Watch https://www.hrw.org/americas/el-salvador
El Faro. https://elfaro.net/
“My husband is a Salvadoran pediatrician. To get to work, he goes through 5-6 military checkpoints where he has to show proof that he is an essential worker. If they were to find that he isn't, or doesn't have proof, they would confiscate his car and license and send him to a quarantine center. In the hospital where he works (a semi-public/private hospital part of their national health system), there has been no leadership on how to respond to COVID-19. It's left up to each individual how they respond and protect themselves, with some doctors saying they "don't believe" in COVID. Doctors from different hospitals have been rotating and doing shifts in different places, increasing the possibilities for infection. Recently, a doctor that Rafa has worked with tested positive. Rafa and his coworkers were told to isolate themselves at home, but that they had to keep coming to work and that they would be tested. When the day for testing came, they almost didn't test everyone who was in contact with the doctor who had COVID. Rafa and his coworkers called their union and the media and protested the violation of pandemic protocols. Finally, they were tested and taken to a quarantine center. In El Salvador, they are using different hotels as quarantine sites, which means that Rafa is sharing a unit with three other employees. They didn't have water for 20 hours and had to ask for donations of food for the first few days. Soldiers patrol outside to make sure no one leaves their buildings, and no one is allowed to bring in aluminum, glass, or sharp objects (these are the kinds of rules that exist for prisons).”
Country’s Response:
“El Salvador shut their borders. No foreigners are allowed in the country. Any citizens or residents returning from abroad are sent to a 30-day quarantine, which has been incredibly disorganized (people who tested positive have been put together with people who tested negative). Only one person per household is permitted to leave home every 15 days to purchase food, medicine, or other necessary goods, and they must carry a notarized letter stating this. Hundreds of people have been arrested for violating the stay at home order.”
Current Situation:
“The number of cases is relatively low and mostly limited to folks who have come in from other countries. However, there are incredible violations of human rights and an authoritarian power grab from the president taking advantage of current conditions.”
Learn More:
Human Rights Watch https://www.hrw.org/americas/el-salvador
El Faro. https://elfaro.net/