Covid Situation in Oaxaca

[James Doran]

Hello Fellow Humans in Mexico:

It has been nine months. I have worn my mask, washed my hands and tried to stay away from people. For better or worse, we are still here.

I would like to take a trip to the playa at San Agustinillo, just southeast of Puerto Escondido in the State of Oaxaca. The usual travel concerns come up regarding Covid.

However, can anyone give me the best reliable website for finding out what the Covid situation is currently like in the State of Oaxaca at the southern sea near Sab Agustinillo, Puerto Angel and Huatulco? I need reliable information about where we are thinking about going. The travel issues are another concern.

Thank you for all who can provide good information.

James

PS. You can contact me directly at jim@doranlegal.com or WhatsApp at +1(360)393-9506. Gracias

[DonJuane]

My thoughts are that the traveling part is what is going to cause the most exposure. How would you get there? Unless you are in a motorhome or sleep in your van or car, all the getting in and out of public transport and getting food is what will drive up the risk factor so it really shouldn't matter much where you are going, unless you hope to escape the mask and confined restaurant guidelines because all the risk as far as I understand is in your close proximity to others and that will happen at its highest factor during travel. Once you get there you have similar risk levels where if you are staying without a kitchen, you are at the mercy of take out and going indoors to eat which is getting close to your travel exposure.

So in general, I'd say that your success in avoiding exposure is in your method of travel and unless you are going via private vehicle, the exposure may be high. I know in this area we are in, the locals are simply dying all over the place and they generally don't go into the hospital to even make government numbers show higher. You just have to talk to the people in the neighborhoods as there is always someone at the end or next street over who has perished. It's really bad now and bound to peek about 2 weeks after King's Day here I would estimate, as somehow both US and Mexico believe that masks aren't needed for family gatherings. In fact, I've seen less wearing masks in both GTO and SMdA the past couple of weeks as during the entire pandemic. It's as if everyone has given up, particularly during the holidays.

You may also be considering that this area is so remote that the infection is not there, but in today's world of Instagram and Overlanders and jetting about, the Oaxaca coast (recently "Riviera-ized" by receiving the new tourism driven prefix) has morphed into a place you may have visited 10 years ago and been the only foreigner there but will not recognize today as you will find it has been over-run with tourists and flocks of Canadian B&B and restaurant owners (such was my experience in 2007 vs 2018 visits).

It's almost impossible I would say to outrun this thing, but the shot is going to put a new perspective on things and by all means bar the door once people become immune, so from that perspective I can understand the drive to get an early start. Still and I am sure you are familiar with this area, it can become unbearably hot come May to Nov. Maybe not quite as bad as Merida, but nearly. And you did pick a good spot there because the surf south at Zipolite or all but the couple of small coves around Puerto Escandido make it a difficult place to get into the water for a simple cool-down plunge.