On July 1st, after more than 100 days, Peru went from strict “social isolation” to “social distancing”. In many, especially the poorer, areas the isolation could not be upheld any longer. The easing means that even more people are now taking to the streets. The situation is very difficult. Many people could not adhere to the isolation because they were simply hungry and had to feed their families. The people here live from one day to the next, many are day laborers. Many don’t have refrigerators either. Therefore, they must go to the market every day to shop. The markets as a result are transmission hotspots. When a market is closed, blankets are laid out as “market stalls” elsewhere and new sales channels are thus opened in an unconventional and, of course, dangerous manner. For many, it is not possible to comply with the hygiene regulations because they have no direct water access. This also applies to many schools in the provinces.

Medicines are scarce and some are counterfeited. The same applies to the masks. The prices for oxygen have risen dramatically. Unfortunately, here too, corrupt methods are used to make money off people’s suffering. Due to the long quarantine, domestic violence is more common in the often poor and cramped conditions. Our psychologist Nely is constantly busy and uses the telephone to support the families of our little patients awaiting their operation.