• Hygiene. The seasonal workers of Lérida denounce their situation: "Measures against contagion? There is no law in the field"
  • Outbreaks. The Generalitat admits that it hid the confinement of Lérida to avoid an exodus to the rest of Catalonia
  • Health. "A proportionate measure" for a flare-up that causes concern

«What do they say that in this company there is an outbreak? No idea, they haven't told me anything. I come to clean today, but with the normal security measures. No one has warned me. The surprise of one of the workers of one of the fruit and vegetable companies that dot the Segrià roads - in this case, of Soses - comes to summarize the atmosphere of secrecy and rumor mill that has taken over the Lleida region, of which no one You can enter or exit except for work reasons.

The Generalitat decreed the reconfinement of the area on Saturday after the increase in infections and hospitalizations for Covid-19, following the activation of eight outbreaks in recent weeks . The Catalan Administration itself has admitted the lack of control with the seasonal workers who work these days to collect the fruit as one of the causes of the outbreaks, although no one knows for sure which companies are affected. The result, neighbors and towns pointing to each other while the cooperatives -except for yesterday- continue with their activity.

The mayor of Aitona -one of the affected towns- has come to ask the Generalitat to inform her of the infections daily. The lack of precise information on the involvement of the coronavirus is criticized in the town. "I don't understand secrecy that much," questions the owner of the kiosk. "There is talk that the fault lies with the seasonal workers, although it is not clear to me because they came to disinfect in my building after there were two cases: a mechanic and a hairdresser."

Workers of the Aitona cooperative admit that there are many temporary workers who have tested positive for coronavirus , something that they nevertheless deny from the management, stressing that a lot of money has been invested in ensuring, for example, the protection of employees with partitions in the section packing. "In Aitona there are quite a few cases because immigrants go from here to there," explains a farmer from the town.

In fact, dozens of them can sleep and shower in a pavilion in Lleida every night, but during the day the compound remains closed and, if they are not in the countryside, they can only roam the city. Under a scorching sun, the city is half empty this weekend, and those who walk the most through its streets are precisely the seasonal workers in their hours of rest.

Those indicated, in turn, denounce job insecurity and the lack of protection measures in many cases. "Hopefully being Michael Jackson to make me a target," says Ali, a Senegalese man who is more concerned than the contagion about the stigmatization of immigrants with these outbreaks. His partner, who works in a small grocery store, shrugs at the situation: “I'm worried, but just like anywhere. I need to work".

They point to the focus of Aitona from the town of Soses , which is doubted in Alcarràs , another of the affected municipalities. The owner of one of his bars confirms that "there are also infected farmers, but it seems that the seasonal workers." Is there fear of outbreaks among neighbors? "People seem to be afraid, but the environment is like before confinement." Its terrace, yes, is practically the only one with activity in the early hours.

The apparent tranquility in the towns contrasts with the movement at the Lleida airport . Movement not of airplanes, because the only turn I had planned this Sunday - to Palma de Mallorca - was canceled. However, Iberia had not informed any of its passengers, who were indignantly crowded at the counter at noon. "I live in Palma and now they want me to escape there, that we fly from Barcelona after taking an AVE, the neighborhood ...", says Nuria, one of those affected. One of the airport employees jokes: «For a flight we have and they cancel it. This does lower the statistics ».

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Catalonia
  • Covid 19
  • Lockdown
  • Coronavirus
  • Palma de Mallorca
  • Michael Jackson
  • Iberia
  • Barcelona

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