1.- BEGINNING

- When the Coronavirus was detected in Wuhan in December 2019, we could not imagine that it was going to spread so virulently around the world.
- In Spain, the first case of COVID 19 was diagnosed in La Gomera (Canary Islands) on 31st January 2020 for a tourist who had been in contact with an infected person in Germany.
- The first death, due to COVID 19, took place in Valencia on 23rd February 2020. The deceased was a 69-year-old Valencian, who had just returned from a trip to Nepal.
- Soon the number of infections was in the thousands and deaths in the hundreds. The first wave of Coronavirus spread rapidly through Spain and on 15th March 2020 a State of Alarm was declared.

2.- INFLUENCE ON THE CITIZENS

2.1- NEGATIVE

Negative influence is most evident in the case of:

- Elderly people living alone
- People who do not have a terrace or garden to get some fresh air and sunshine
- People who had to go to work and children were at home due to school closures
- People with lower income
- Children who could not follow online classes because they did not have technology at their disposal

Negative effects become apparent and accentuated by:

- Nightmares and insomnia
- Boredom
- irritation
- Fatigue and lack of energy
- Fear of getting sick from coronavirus
- Sadness

• For the death of relatives and friends
• For not being able to reunite with family and friends
• For not being able to participate in leisure activities (theatre, cinema, exhibitions, lectures, trips, etc.)
• Not being able to celebrate birthdays or other celebrations with loved ones

2.2.- POSITIVE

The positive effects become apparent in:

- Appraisal of personal relationships
- Appreciation of health workers, expressed through phases of applause
- Increasing interest in people in the vicinity
- Promotion of volunteering
- Increase in healthy practices, food, exercises, walks
- Increased use of Internet at the school level and donation of computer equipment for those most in need.
- Appreciation of telework by workers and companies and its official regulation
- The new school year 2020-2021, with face-to-face attendance, has been a success thanks to the safety measures put in place and carried out by teachers and students.

3.- DEMONSTRATIONS LINKED TO CORONAVIRUS MEASURES IN SPAIN

3.1.- Lack of consensus among political parties

- It would be ideal and desirable if there were more agreements, since "Unity is strength" and it would be convenient to be united to fight together against the pandemic and for the well-being of citizens.

3.2.- Citizens' reaction

- Loud demonstrations on balconies, during the first confinement and by some citizens, against the government's measures.
- Demonstrations in the streets promoted by some political parties.

4.- VACCINATION AND SAFETY MEASURES

Fortunately, the vaccines have arrived and together with the safety measures established, in some Autonomous Communities harsher than in others, the virus will be brought under control.

5.- TOWARDS THE FUTURE

- We really desire a return to normality and that the nightmare of the pandemic around the world ends.
- We believe that there are certain current habits that, for some time, will modify the lifestyle of Spaniards, such as effusive greetings and maintaining distance.
- We think that the mask and sanitizers should continue to be used, for a long time, in closed public places.
- We wish that Eurojumelages will continue, that there will be more participation of young people, that the activities planned for this year can be carried out and that in 2022 everything will return to normal and that the Congress, cultural activities, language courses, cooking courses etc. can be organised…

Give yourself a better future, give yourself life!
Alfonsina Román (Jumelages Villa de Madrid)

With vaccination, the end is in sight and I hope that in the near future, everything will be as it was before the pandemic!
Felipe Romera (Jumelages Girona)

Cheer up friends of Eurojumelages, we will continue fighting together and with prevention and common sense we will succeed!
Amparo Medá y Antonia Monedero (Jumelages AHET Valencia)