By Paul Murphy Manager, South America - Mining Plus
Due to the current reality of the COVID-19 spread, the Government of Peru has declared a state of emergency and placed the country in mandatory quarantine for two weeks as of last Monday. All domestic and international travel has stopped, be it via land, sea, or air. The borders are closed.
Residents have been told to stay at home (self-isolate) as far as is practicable. Whilst supermarkets, hospitals, and chemists remain open, nearly all other services and activities are on hold. The army and the police are on the streets enforcing the quarantine. If you are caught driving without a valid reason your drivers license will be confiscated.
Along with the rest of the Mining Plus Lima team, I have been working from home since Monday. Using the various systems we have in place, our team remains in close “virtual” contact, and we continue to work as normal. There are obvious challenges when stuck in your residence. Exercise is one aspect that has to be thought about and planned, so I have scheduled that in daily to make sure it is not overlooked.
In saying this, I believe that the Mining Plus team can count themselves lucky. Spare a thought for the family on the news this morning who arrived in Lima by bus from a jungle expecting to catch a connecting bus to the north the country. Unfortunately, they missed the travel deadline and, for the foreseeable future, they are stuck in Lima with nowhere to go.
The effects of COVID-19 are increasingly tangible, but, during these challenging times, we all have the opportunity to improve systems and innovate.
Read more about our Mining Plus remote working capabilities here.