Pandemic Times in Taboga: A Closed Pier

The global covid-19 crisis hit Taboga directly, since most of the island’s activity depends on its visitors. The island chose the safest path: closing the pier and only allowing the movement of supplies and the occasional resident.

The crisis brought other problems along with it, like a fire in the hills, but thanks to God and the cooperation of firefighters, Panama’s civil protection agency (SINAPROC) and the people of Taboga, it was brought under control before it got any worse.

Taboga has a large population of older adults, who are most at risk from the pandemic — nearly 50% of residents are seniors — so it falls to the younger adults to handle grocery and medicine runs.

Being on an island is no reason to let your guard down: a single case can have serious consequences. Stay home, enjoy the sea breeze from your balcony, and let’s hope this all passes soon; I want to see everyone again and catch up in person, and I’m sure this will soon just be another story we tell.

But even in a bad situation, there’s good to be found: in less than a month of quarantine, seabirds — with people gone — began arriving on the island’s shores, creating a beautiful scene that gives you something to think about.

We humans like to believe the world owes us something, but really, we’re the ones who owe our lives to the world; we need to take better care of our surroundings and look for balance with everything around us.