Argentina: one hundred days of pandemic

PIC 1- Reimundo Vigo Murga, head of the Plastic Surgery Service at the Pedro Fiorito Hospital in Avellaneda, province of Buenos Aires, overcame two cancers and was discharged yesterday after recovering from coronavirus thanks to plasma treatment. "You need 100 percent spiritual strength because you fight death alone", he said.

PIC 2 - President Alberto Fernandez made a call for joint action in the face of the global coronavirus crisis during a video conference with other Latin American and Caribbean leaders on Thursday.

PHOTO 3- In the province of Tucumán, in the north of Argentina, the BAF operation (Active Fever Search) was carried out this week. The suburbs of that provincial capital San Miguel are deemed to have one of the highest risks in the country, due to overcrowding and poverty.

PHOTO 4- In the province of La Rioja, in the northwest of Argentina, the Corredor Turístico del Oeste (Western Tourist Corridor) opens on weekends, but only for local visitors, as the virus is not circulating in that region. The Talampaya National Park (photo) is one of the places that reopened.

PHOTO 5- In the province of Río Negro, in the Argentine Patagonia, there was a partial return to work of public employees in towns and cities that are in Phase 5 of the coronavirus quarantine. Employees had to undergo mandatory training on sanitary protocols.

Pics by Telam News Agency

PHOTO 1- The infectious disease specialistDr. Fernando Polack, with a multidisciplinary team of 70 people, is carrying out a study to determine whether the application of plasma from those who suffered from coronavirus to patients with early symptoms of Covid-19 can stop the progression of the disease. If the result is positive, it will be an original contribution from Argentina to counteract the pandemic.

PHOTO 2- The coronavirus pandemic could result in a fourfold increase in food insecurity in Latin America and push 14 million people into hunger because of social distancing, destruction of jobs and undermined economies. This was warned by the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

PHOTO 3- Sofia Vier became Argentina's first female fighter pilot with her inaugural flight on Thursday in the province of Mendoza. The event was attended by the Minister of Defense of the Nation, Agustín Rossi and the Governor of the province, Rodolfo Suárez.

PHOTO 4- Throughout the country, cities and districts without cases or those that have had weeks with no new confirmed infections are easing down lockdown measures, with the re-opening of shops, recreational walks and activities that were closed. These are the cases of Corrientes (in the northeast), Mendoza (in the center-west), Salta and Catamarca (in the north of the country), and cities in the province of Buenos Aires.

PHOTO 5- President Alberto Fernández said on Wednesday that "every company that reopens" in the midst of the pandemic "is an act of celebration". He made these statements at the reopening of the Toyota factory in the town of Zarate, in the province of Buenos Aires.

ARGENTINA AND COVID: A DIFFERENT LANDSCAPE

PHOTO 1- Argentina's factories resume work as controls begin to ease down in the metropolitan region of Buenos Aires, Rosario and Cordoba. All over the country the lockdown has been partially lifted for companies and industries.

PHOTO 2- President Alberto Fernández insists that "normality no longer exists" in the daily lives of Argentines, as a result of the pandemic. He also urged to "have no doubts" about what's been to prevent deaths and infections.

Telam 19-05-2020 Buenos Aires: El presidente Alberto Fernández advirtió hoy que la "normalidad no existe más" en la vida cotidiana de los argentinos, debido a los efectos de la pandemia del coronavirus, llamó a "no dudar de lo hecho" e invitó, en esa dirección, a "mirar los resultados" comparativos con otros países.
Foto: Presidencia/cbri

PHOTO 3- While in several parts of Argentina autorhities backtracked on easing the lockdown, the northern province of Jujuy has been reopening hotels for local tourism.

PHOTO 4- The Ministry of Health of Tucumán, in the Northwest, reported that 4,200 cases of dengue were registered, a figure that tops this endemic 2009's peak.

Tucumán: El Ministerio de Salud de Tucumán confirmó hoy que en la provincia se registró un total de 4.136 casos de dengue, una cifra que supera el mayor pico histórico alcanzado hasta ahora por esta enfermedad, que fue en 2009, con un total de 1.749.

PHOTO 5- Musicians at the Avellaneda Municipal Symphony Orchestra (in the province of Buenos Aires) and those of the Salta Symphony Orchestra (in northern Argentina) donated part of their salaries to collaborate with independent colleagues or soup kitchens affected by isolation in the face of the pandemic.

Buenos Aires: Los intérpretes de la Orquesta Sinfónica Municipal de Avellaneda (OSMA) y los de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Salta donaron parte de sus salarios para colaborar con colegas independientes o con comedores populares, durante el aislamiento por la pandemia de coronavirus. Foto: Prensa/Télam/aa 20052020

All photographs by Telam news agency.

ARGENTINA AND COVID: A DIFFERENT LANDSCAPE

PICTURE 1- Wednesday 13 marked the first online session in the history of Argentina’s Parliament. The hearing will seek to approve about 20 Government coronavirus decrees.

PICTURE 2-Cleaning and disinfection operations are carried out nationwide in hospitals, public transport, elderly homes and social shelters where cases were detected as well as in neighborhoods where locals demande there’s more prevention patrols.

PICTURE 3-Shops, gastronomy operations that offer take-away option and some local fairs and markets started working again this week, including those in BA City, where the lockdown is more strict because of the number of cases, the highest in the country.

Buenos Aires: Comercios minoristas de cercanía, locales gastronómicos con la modalidad "para llevar" y algunas ferias de abastecimiento barrial comenzaron a funcionar hoy en la ciudad de Buenos Aires con un esquema para respetar la distancia entre personas y protocolos de higiene, como parte de la nueva etapa de la cuarentena por el coronavirus.

PICTURE 4-An alternative ventilator for intensive care was fully developed with Argentine resources by researchers of the INTI center, together with small companies and other public agencies. The device is in the final testing phase before being used on patients.

Telam 13-05-2020 Buenos Aires: Un ventilador o respirador alternativo para cuidados intensivos desarrollado íntegramente con insumos nacionales en solo 55 días por investigadores del Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI) -junto a pequeñas empresas y otros organismos públicos- se encuentra ya en la última fase de ensayos, informó el organismo. Foto; Prensa/cbri

FOTO 5 - People working in call centers, delivery apps, restaurants and private schools protested in central BA to demand better working conditions and more action from their unions against lay-offs and worsening working conditions.

Telam 14/05/2020 Buenos Aires: Un numeroso grupo de trabajadores de sectores como call centers, deliverys, gastronómicos y docentes de escuelas privadas se manifestaron esta mañana en el centro porteño para exigir mejoras en sus condiciones laborales y la respuesta de los sindicatos ante los despidos y la precarización laboral. Foto: Paula Ribas/cgl

ARGENTINA'S COVID CHALLENGES

PICTURE 1: Researchers of the Leloir Institute and CONICET Center developed the first test in the country for detecting antibodies that can fight the new SARS-CoV-2. This will be used for following up the immunological reaction of infected patients and determine the state of health workers exposed to the virus (Telam)

PICTURE 2 - Virtual sessions at the Congress are deemed by the entire political spectrum as a "paradigm shift in the Argentine democratic system" (Telam).

PICTURE 3 - Left-leaning organizations carried out a protest in front of the Obelisk, in central Buenoes Aires, despite social distancing restrictions. Leaders of the demonstrators said they kept a minimum distance of two meters between them, and used face masks. They were demanding an expansion in food programs and better access to drinkable water in shanty towns of the City and Province of Buenos Aires (Telam)

PICTURE 4 - In various cities of Argentina there were long lines of people to get paid the government aid for unemployment worsened by the more than 30 days of mandatory lockdown in Argentina (Telam).

Telam Córdoba 6/05/2020
Largas filas de las beneficiarios no bancarizados en el Correo Argentino para cobrar el IFE
foto Laura Lescano

PICTURE 5 - In cities like Buenos Aires and Córdoba, in the city center textile companies that had been inactive for more than a month restarted production and now manufacture facemasks and protective gear for health workers.

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Argentina, a new landscape

PICTURE 1- Argentine scientists identified the genetic sequence of the coronavirus in 26 patients. This will allow to answer which are the characteristics of SARS (Covid 19) circulating in the country.

PICTURE 2- The Lola Membrives Theatre, emblem of Corrientes Avenue, in the city of Buenos Aires. Until the lockdown is lifted, there will be no theater or concerts in the country.

PICTURE 3- The use of a facemasks is mandatory in all of Argentina in the streets and and in public transportation, such as the subway of the City of Buenos Aires.

PICTURE 4- In the town of Ceres, Santa Fe, in the center-east of Argentina, a baby was named "Ciro Covid" by his parents.

PICTURE 5- At Constitución Station, one of the main railway terminals in Buenos Aires City, COVID-19 rapid tests are carried out.

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Week 3 - Argentina in quarantine

PHOTO 1- Most of Argentina's Public National Radio System (Music FM stations and RAE) are relaying the signal of AM870, due to social distancing measures issued by the Argentine government.

PHOTO 2- Sea lions are back in the port of Mar del Plata, a coastal city in the province of Buenos Aires, along the breakwaters that were crowded with fishermen and tourists in pre-pandemic times.

PHOTO 3- In public transport throughout the country, protective measures were implemented for drivers and passengers.

PHOTO 4- Across the country, construction teams work against the clock to build mobile health units to care for COVID-19 patients.

PHOTO 5- The Florida pedestrian street in Buenos Aires completely empty and the maintenance team of Claudia, Iana, Sara and Natalia who commute up to two hours to start their shift in the center of the city, at 7 am.

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Week 2 - Argentina in quarantine

PHOTO 1. Newspaper stands in the country's major cities remain open despite the continuing drop in sales, that precedes the pandemic.

PHOTO 2. In the main urban centres there are complaints about the lack of food, hygiene and virus-protective There are also complaints about overpricing. The National Government authorized controls throughout the territory to stop speculation.

PHOTO 3. The Margot, one of the historical bars of Buenos Aires, in the neighborhood of Boedo, remains closed for the first time since its opening in 1902.

PHOTO 4. Many local shops in cities all over the country began offering home delivery of food, drinks and medicines.

PHOTO 5. Students of all levels in both public and private schools are doing home-schooling in Argentina. However, 40 percent of families lacks access to internet or do not have adequate technology for online education.

PHOTO 6. In five provinces of the country, Catamarca, Formosa, Jujuy, La Rioja, Chubut, plus the city of Buenos Aires, facemasks are mandatory.

Content Production: Silvana Avellaneda
Web Production: Julián Cortez
Acknowledgements: Victorio Rubinetti - Iris Gimenez-

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1-Obelisco and Corrientes Avenue: one of the most iconic images of Buenos Aires, quarantine mode.

2- H Line Subway. Rush Hour. Commuting dropped more than 90%

3-BA Subways Network: Only one access per station remains open, for circulation permit-holders only.

Lavalle Street: Before the quarantine, filled with tourists, vendors, workers and street artists.

9 de Julio Avenue, Carlos Pellegrini and Corrientes Avenue, Thursday, 1 PM.

BA Subways. Rush hour before the pandemic. Today: empty platforms.