Deteriorating Coronavirus Scenario Across Latin America Persists Daily
Life during the Pandemic: From Canadian Salty Water Tests to Peruvian Police-Turned-Teachers
In a surprising turn of events, the coronavirus pandemic has led to an unexpected occupation shift among Peruvian police officers and Canadian educators. While the Great White North embraces a humane testing method for children, their South American counterparts take learning to remote areas where it's most needed.
Steering clear of invasive nasal swabs, Canadian schools trial a less daunting alternative: a test tube of salty water and a spitting cup. This kind-hearted approach to testing children for COVID-19 is the brainchild of Canadian health officials, hoping to cover as many children as possible. If the trial proves its accuracy, the salty water test could potentially replace conventional nasal swab tests, according to Canadian health ministries.
Meanwhile, our Mexican neighbors are placing a higher premium on keeping children safe from the virus—and group activities—than testing them. With remote learning as the new norm, Mexican teachers take academics right to students' doors, turning mototaxis into mobile classrooms. Teacher Carlita Maribel Ek Sosa from Ticul remarks, "We see that the students we work with are vulnerable. They don't have a TV, internet, or mobile phones. Some of them also struggle with reading and writing. My sister and I had the idea to bring lessons to their homes so they can learn."
Peru takes this initiative a step further, with local police officers teaching math and spelling to children in remote settlements without schools or internet. With Peru ranking second in Latin America for COVID-19 cases, measures like these prove crucial in keeping children engaged and learning while minimizing outbreaks.
Innovative testing strategies are everywhere, as the search results suggest. Point-of-care PCR (PoC-PCR) tests, PCR pool testing, and seroprevalence studies are some examples of methods being employed to quickly and efficiently identify COVID-19 cases among children and better understand the spread of the virus.
As the world contends with the pandemic, memorials seek to honor its victims. The Memorial of Infinity that has recently emerged in Rio de Janeiro pays tribute to those who succumbed to COVID-19 in Brazil, a country grappling with over 4.5 million cases and more than 136 thousand deaths.
"A memorial is more than just a tribute to the fallen," says architect Chris Santos. "It tells their families that their grief matters, just as they do. And they have a place to come with their pain."
The US commemorated the victims last Sunday, with the national cathedral's bell tolling 200 times in Washington—once for every thousand Americans who have died from COVID-19. The bell's mournful clanging served as a poignant reminder of the immense toll the pandemic has taken on lives across the globe.
- Despite the effort to test children for COVID-19, Peru has prioritized education for children in remote areas with no schools or internet, enlisting local police officers to teach subjects like math and spelling.
- Unlike the salty water testing method used in Canadian schools for children, Mexico is focusing more on keeping children safe from the virus, implementing remote learning and using mototaxis as mobile classrooms.
- The science community is exploring various testing strategies to identify COVID-19 cases among children more efficiently, with examples like point-of-care PCR (PoC-PCR) tests, PCR pool testing, and seroprevalence studies.
- Education and self-development have taken a drastic turn due to the pandemic, with Canadian educators embracing remote teaching and Peruvian police officers transitioning to instructional roles to help children in underserved communities.
- General news regarding the coronavirus pandemic continues to cover innovative testing methods, education initiatives, and memorials to honor those who have lost their lives to the virus, such as the Memorial of Infinity in Rio de Janeiro.
