Community comes together
RESIDENTS across the province have been pulling together like never before during lockdown – a La Saforbased company, CTL, has given 250 masks to the police and the Chinese expat contingent in Oliva has donated 3,000 of these to the Guardia Civil and Civil Protection squad.
Silla (L'Horta Sud) and Sueca (Ribera Baixa) are among many towns which have set up volunteer 'personal shopping' schemes for the elderly, disabled and those who cannot drive.
And in Potries (La Safor), 10 resident volunteers are taking phone calls from those who are lonely and simply want someone to talk to.
Winner of the 2009 pop reality show Un Beso y Una Flor on the now-defunct TV channel Canal 9, Iván Sánchez, gives a concert every day at noon from his balcony.
And entire streets resonate with applause every evening at 20.00 for the health service.
The N-332 in Oliva comes to life at around this time, with neighbours chatting to each other from their windows and whooping, clapping and cheering at any passing taxi driver, delivery lorry, ambulance or police car.
Police and ambulance normally flash their blue lights and sound their sirens to say thanks as they drive past.
Often, music is played at the same time: Vilamarxant (Camp de Túria) and Oliva (La Safor) have been ringing out with what has now become the 'Covid-19 lockdown anthem', Resistiré, by Duo Dinámico – a song title that roughly translates as 'I'll get through this'.
Meanwhile, in Alzira (Ribera Alta), all children whose birthdays fall in April and who will not get to celebrate – around 400 in total - will get free ice-creams from The Ice-Cream Factory, funded by the council.
To date, only two cases in Gandía and two in Oliva have been confirmed publicly, and 13 in the Xàtiva-Ontinyent department of health, with no reported fatalities.
At least one case has been reported in Cullera (Ribera Baixa), five in Algemesí (Ribera Alta), one of whom is the spokesman for the far-right party Vox on the council, and at least one in neighbouring Almussafes, where a female school teacher has been diagnosed.
Torrent (L'Horta Oest) has been badly hit, with the armed forces emergency unit brought in to help out at the local Santa Elena nursing home, and a teacher at one of the primary schools also affected.
At least 10 residents at the Santa Elena have died out of at least 60 who have been diagnosed.
Across the province of Valencia, a total of 61 have died so far.
Oliva health centre has thanked residents for their 'exemplary' behaviour during lockdown time – only seeking GP appointments or attending the emergency walk-in clinic if their situation is serious.
Like most towns in the province, it has shut down its smaller surgery – the one on the Pego road – and only the main health centre is attending to patients.
La Safor GPs have urged patients – especially the elderly or those with pre-existing health problems – to phone them before going into the practice so that 'crowds' can be staggered and anything that does not need a visit, such as prescription renewals, can be dealt with remotely.
Gandía has moved several hospital specialist departments, including physiotherapy, to one of its local practices to free up space.
The La Safor capital has also stopped its on-street bikehire service, SaforBici, and both Gandía and Oliva have ceased to charge for parking in metered 'blue bays'.
In the case of the latter, this means customers can park for free outside Mercadona.