Planning for Panama’s “new normal”

The Ministry of Health (Minsa) projects that if the trend of COVID-19 cases continues to drop, the quarantine will gradually begin to be lifted and talks are underway on hot to deal with the new normal.

How to maintain social distancing  on Panama’s notoriously deficient, narrow or non- existent sidewalks  and public transport are  major challenges says a TVN report

The cities that are beginning to emerge from confinement know that  they must be restructured so that people can move keeping their distances and avoiding more infections.

In Panama cities  some experts argue that it is time to think about the changes and sidewalks like existing ones cannot continue to be the norm.

Architect David Tapia says that keeping the required  distances will not be possible in Panama, because the sidewalks are small.

Luis Campana, Manager of MiBus, says that when company parking lots are reopened, employees should be encouraged not to travel at peak times.

The images of full buses will be unthinkable. The metro buses will have to operate as now, at 30% of their capacity. The same will happen on  the dozens of Panama West and Metro routes.

What can be done so that the system does not collapse if more cars are on the road?

Exclusive lanes are crucial for the evolution of the Metrobus system, says Tapia.

The MiBus Manager considers a strategy that is being experimented in other countries and that this measure could be applied.

Another debate centers on schools. Education specialist, Nivia Rossana Castrellón, says that the return is going to start with a process of semi-face-to-face classes because in Panama there are no classrooms designed for the distances that students need.

Victoria Tello, Technical Teaching Assistant Director of the Ministry of Education (Meduca) points out that it is in a process of

preparation for when the return is enabled.

For the experts, all these discussions must begin today, and from the government, prepare for a future that is just around the corner.