Laurence Dollimore
A TOWN in Andalucia has managed to remain coronavirus free after cutting itself off from the outside world at the earliest opportunity.
Zahara de la Sierra, in Cadiz, closed all but one entry points to the hilltop town on March 14, the very day that the nationwide state of alarm came into action.
Despite the number of cases since then surging to well over 100,000, Zahara, home to 1,400 people, has yet to register a single COVID-19 case, reported CNN.
Its 40-year-old mayor Santiago Galvan told the US news network: “It’s been two weeks, and I think that’s a good sign.”
Galvan’s measures – which included immediately turning away tourists – may have been viewed as over the top at the time, but they have the full support of his residents, particularly as almost a quarter are over the age of 65, placing them in the most at risk group.
The only road into the town has a police checkpoint, manned by one police officer.
Two other agents have put to use machines designed to clean olive groves to wash the passing vehicles with a mixture of bleach and water.
“There is no car that comes through the checkpoint that’s not disinfected,” PSOE mayor Galvan told CNN.
“We have managed to give tranquillity to our neighbours…they know no one ‘unknown’ is coming in.”
Meanwhile, the town itself is also being disinfected twice a week.
Galvan added: “Every Monday and Thursday at 5:30pm, a group of around 10 people are out in the streets to disinfect the town, all the streets, plazas and outside homes.”
Elsewhere, two women are being paid by a local business to buy food and medicines for the most vulnerable to ensure less people are out on the streets.
