GUÁIMARO, CAMAGÜEY.- Vicente Molina Teirot, a citizen of Swiss origin, wants Cuba as his home. No country like this to feel happy, for sure. “I am not Cuban but I notice something in their land that calms me down. With the new coronavirus, the world situation has become complex, which is why I am very grateful to spend it with what I consider "my people." Here they take care of us more than anywhere else ”.

He is one of the 27 travelers from abroad who, at the time of our visit, was under clinical epidemiological surveillance at the Hotel Guáimaro, converted from the beginning of the pandemic into a Provincial Isolation Center. Preventing the spread of COVID-19 is the main mission of those who leave their skin there since March 24.

Yarlesky Guerra Escalante, hall captain, says that the news completely changed their routines. In the workplace, because they would face a virus of which little was known and because they had to take on tasks related to Medicine, which they did not know. In the family, because they knew what time they left home but not when they would return, in addition to the 14 days of quarantine in the hotel.

“The fear at the beginning was somewhat calmed by the team of the municipal directorate of Public Health and Hygiene and Epidemiology when in a conference they explained to us the protection measures and the ways to minimize risks. There we knew that if we complied with what was established in detail, we would be fine. Even in the red zone, none of us has been infected ”. Of a total workforce of 45 workers, 35 are active. Only ten remain at home due to health problems. The provision of services has been guaranteed by the same staff, no one from another entity has been mobilized. They are organized into two groups to work 14 days in a row and remain isolated for the same amount.

AN ISOLATED DAY AT THE HOTEL

Misleidys' work, who leaves her eight-year-old Diego at the home of a brother; or that of Gabriel, the director who has not left "his ship" since the third month of the year ... everyone's, begins with the arrival of the travelers.

“Once here we offer them food depending on the arrival time and an input module consisting of spoons, knives, forks, cups, jugs and glasses that they will take to the room for personal use during the time of entry. They are also explained that breakfast, lunch, lunch and dinner are totally free and that they also have a special offer that is charged but is optional.

“Later we moved them to the rooms, prepared to serve two people. We try to group them by traits of familiarity or origin, in order to promote a more pleasant stay. Inside the building, those admitted have a telephone enabled by which we notify them of the meal times, we transfer calls from their relatives throughout the day and we clarify any questions, "added Gabriel Ronquillo Álvarez, hotel manager.

To date, the center has received more than 180 travelers, of whom only two have tested positive for COVID-19. The most representative countries are the United States, Mexico, Spain, Russia, Nicaragua and Panama.

“The circumstances, explains Ronquillo Álvarez, demand individualized attention that is consistent with the principles of our health system. We have a highly qualified healthcare team that performs comprehensive assessments every 12 hours, and approximately three times a day the nursing staff monitor the vital signs of each patient ”.

Ada Rosa Alfonso Rosales, a lady from the United States, who lost a brother before leaving for Cuba, is very grateful to them. “When I arrived I was so saddened by his death ... They immediately put a psychologist at my disposal to help me with that situation. Today I feel better thanks to the understanding of him and everyone. It is wonderful that they take care not only of a virus, but that they take care of your soul ”.

At the beginning of COVID-19 in Camagüey, 43 isolation centers were activated, of which 25 remained active in the municipalities and 16 of a provincial nature. Today we work with twelve facilities of this type although only five are active: three for quarantine after the service of doctors, one for contacts and one for travelers from abroad.

Some 3 000 people have been treated and the total number of isolates varies according to the flights entering Cuba. Although the recovery phases change in the country, the isolation center does not change its practices. Risk remains and extreme measures as well. The workers at the Hotel de Guáimaro are aware of this and are not concerned.

The fear of the beginning is over. The story they want to tell in the future speaks more of helping, of healing. That is why this land calms the Swiss Vicente Molina, who states: "Here they take care of people like nowhere else."

Translated by Linet Acuña Quilez