Puerto Rico Is Not Your Privileged Escape From the Coronavirus
Tourists need to stay away from Puerto Rico during these uncertain coronavirus times
Puerto Rico under quarantine is not so different from Puerto Rico on a regular day. Thick, pillowy clouds tumble over themselves just above the horizon. The sun beats down with unrelenting heat, bronzing skin and fading paint on houses. Giant, tapering palms sway in the gentle trade winds. But over it all, a pervasive sense of emptiness descends.
This month, the island’s supermarket shelves have been raided for antibacterial soap. Aisles are devoid of the masses; customers line up single file, waiting to enter one at a time. Most of the bars and restaurants that pepper the beachfront have been shuttered.
These are scenes that are unfolding around the globe, not just in Puerto Rico. As cities struggle to contain the spread of Covid-19, social distancing has become the new buzzword found on the lips of celebrities and government officials alike.
Yet, during this time of crisis, tourists have flocked to the island, incentivized by cheap tickets. And for a place still recovering from a string of natural disasters and political unrest, the timing could not be worse.
