Uruguay In The Time Of Coronavirus

• Published date: 26 May 2020
• Author: Mr Mark Teuten
• Subject Matter: Coronavirus (COVID-19), Government Measures, Operational Impacts and Strategy
• Law Firm: Teuten Abogados

Friday the 13th (March). Not an auspicious date to start a pandemic, but apart from that a cynic* would say that Uruguay has been having a good crisis - so far.

To date (22 May) a total of 749 people have been diagnosed as infected with the virus and there have been a total of 20 deaths (including one from an Australian cruise ship). For the past week the number of new cases diagnosed each day has been in single figures. In comparison with other countries in South America (and even around the world) we seem to have done a good job in keeping the virus at bay - so far.

Uruguay is reopening

Rural schools are already back and the construction industry is working normally. All tests in schools and building sites to date have come back negative. On this basis, yesterday, the government announced plans for a gradual return of all schools and universities throughout the country.

Widespread cooperation among government, the public and private sector

Uruguay obviously had an advantage over many other countries in seeing what was happening and being able to prepare. As soon as the first cases were announced the government closed most economic activities and asked people to stay at home. This lockdown was always voluntary though and the government simply appealed to people's sense of solidarity to follow their recommendations.

The writer is British by birth and has to say it has been heart-warming to see the degree of solidarity shown by the whole population in respecting these requests. Undoubtedly it is because of this that the country is now in the position it is, where it can start to look forward and ease out of the lockdown. Would that things had been handled so well in Britain.

In addition to respecting the request to stay at home and social distance when out, there has also been a strong show of solidarity from the government and also the private sector in ensuring that the poor and homeless are supported.

Clearly Uruguay is not a rich country so the government itself is not in a position to give large cash handouts to the private sector. But both public and private sectors have collaborated to fill the gap as much as possible (the writer is one of the lucky "rich" members of society, so this opinion is necessarily subjective and obviously there are people who would like more to be done).

No spread of the virus among low-income populations

At least though the virus which came from abroad and was brought into the country by the rich, has remained as a rich...