As a journalist, there is a terrible error which it is possible to make these days: conscientiously trying to analyze the unending amounts of data provided by governments and attempting to extract from it some more or less definitive conclusions on the development of the coronavirus and its relentless expansion. Thus, we are reporting, all of us without exception, on the death toll of the day and the total count since the pandemic began, the number of new infections for each day and how much that increasingly scary number has risen, while in the numbers of how many people have overcome the disease we look for a positive angle to report in the midst of the drama conveyed by the cold official press releases that are sent by email to the newsrooms or are posted on government websites.
There are television appearances at all hours, but let's face it, in terms of solid information and a minimal perspective of what's really going to happen in the next few weeks, we have very little. It is communication more than information; in order to have the second, journalists need to be able to do their jobs under normal conditions, and right now, everything takes place in a seemingly permanent atmosphere of exception.
This Thursday marks the twentieth day since Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez's appearance on television announcing a partial lockdown of the population and the declaration of the state of alarm for a fortnight. An insufficient move, as would be seen days later, with the total confinement of the entire population except for essential services, as announced on the 28th. And they are now beginning to let it leak out that next week the Spanish government will proceed to extend this term until, at least, probably, 27th April.
The scientific community is also unsure that this will be the final calendar and many experts point to a gradual lifting of the current situation during May, with the people who are most at risk being locked down until June. "Look at Italy, which is 20 days ahead of us and we are doing pretty much the same as them, even making their mistakes," point out people who know something about it, just as we are seeing a new upsurge in victims after the first peak.
There is worry, of course, because unfortunately, when it comes to good news, the news that is really called good, for the moment, is just not there.