Cuba has been one of the hemisphere’s coronavirus success stories — but a sudden outbreak in its capital has brought on a strict, two-week Havana lockdown. Residents of the capital city will be forced to stay-at-home for 15-days, while people from other parts of the island ill be prohibited from visiting – essentially sealing off the city from the outside world.

Meanwhile, the Coronavirus pandemic has pummeled the island’s economy and has left many everyday items out of reach for many Cubans. Some are being forced to turn to ‘dollar stores,’ where the U.S. dollar is once again accepted as hard currency – something now allowed since 1993.

Officials have ordered a strict 15-day lockdown of Havana in an effort to stamp out the spread of Coronavirus in the capital.

These photos of Havana in lockdown literally took my breath away. https://t.co/jWrVcYpxMQ

— Ken Foster (@KenFosterWrites) September 6, 2020

Aggressive anti-virus measures, including closing down air travel, have virtually eliminated COVID-19 in Cuba with the exception of Havana, where cases have surged from a handful a day to dozens daily over the last month. 

A daily curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. was instituted Tuesday. Most stores are barred from selling to shoppers from outside the immediate neighborhood in order to discourage people from moving around the city. 

Some Havana residents complained that the measures were complicating the already difficult task of buying food in a city hit by constant shortages and endless lines for a limited supply of basic goods. Some provinces that saw no new cases for weeks have begun detecting them in recent days, often linked to travelers from Havana.

The start of in-person classes for students was also indefinitely delayed in Havana, while schools opened normally in the rest of Cuba.

To enforce the lockdown, police stationed on every road leaving Havana are supposed to stop anyone who doesn’t have a special travel permit, which is meant to be issued only in extraordinary circumstances.

Under the strict new lockdown measures, anyone who is found in violation of the stay-at-home orders face fines of up to $125 per violation, more than triple the average monthly wage.

The island nation had seemed to manage the pandemic well – with fewer cases than many of its Caribbean neighbors.

The island of 11 million people has reported slightly more than 4,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with fewer than 100 deaths, one of the lowest rates in the region.

The government made face masks obligatory in the early stages of its pandemic response, and in the first months of the crisis police aggressively fined and even jailed people for violations. 

That vigilance slackened somewhat as Havana moved out of the first, strictest phase of lockdown in July, when public transportation restarted and people returned to work. The number of coronavirus cases then began to climb again.

Meanwhile, the Cuban economy has tanked and residents are struggling to make ends meet now more than ever before.

The pandemic has hit the island’s economy particularly hard. Much of the island relies on agricultural and tourism – two sectors that have been decimated by Coronavirus.

As a result, many Cubans are struggling to afford everyday items. Rice – which used to sell for about $13 Cuban pesos per kilo is now going for triple that.

In an effort to allow Cubans better access to goods, the government has began recognizing the U.S. dollar as official currency. This is extraordinary as mere possession of U.S. dollars was long considered a criminal offense. However, the measure draws a line between the haves and have-nots, one that runs even deeper than it did before the pandemic.

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There’s no denying that throughout their relationship, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello have drawn in attention. Particularly when it comes to their behavior.

Need proof? Just remember that out-of-the-blue moment last year when the two felt compelled to show the world that they french “normally” after fans roasted them for when they “kissed like fish.” The two seemed to have a pretty great sense of humor about of course because they responded with a very strange make-out video.

Now the two singers and bf/ gf duo are raising eyebrows again amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.

The two were caught on a stroll in Miami, walking hand-in like zombies.

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello's walk is as slow as the month of March feels. https://t.co/flhUdZcUzB pic.twitter.com/GcS5iDaUF7

— E! News (@enews) March 31, 2020

Walking as slowly as can be, the two were caught walking at a snail’s pace.

Fortunately, the couple is taking part in some much-needed self-quarantine for the sake of the public’s health and they are doing so in Miami. The two have been spotted taking long walks around Miami and have also been creatively productive. Recently they both performed alongside each other in Cabello’s home for iHeart Radio’s concert series.

Fans of Cabello and Mendes have been teasing the two for taking their sweet time on this walk.

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello's walk is as slow as the month of March feels. https://t.co/flhUdZcUzB pic.twitter.com/GcS5iDaUF7

— E! News (@enews) March 31, 2020

In response to the walk, E! News tweeted, “Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s walk is as slow as the month of March feels.”

But who can really blame them?

When @ShawnMendes and @Camila_Cabello are literally that couple at the end of disaster movies who just walk away slowly because they’re tired af after battle. https://t.co/smPRlvpgRM

— ℝ𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕪 𝕄𝕦𝕤𝕖 (@RaineyMuse) April 1, 2020

We’re all pretty exhausted from all of the self-isolating.

Many are joking that Covid-19 has mutated into a zombie situation.

Attention! COVID-19 has mutated and now is turning people into slow walking zombies! Our condolences to the families of Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes, the first victims. #CoronaAlert pic.twitter.com/pVep2Gj3c5

— Dania (@daniarv25) April 1, 2020

TBH it does feel kind of a lot like we’re in one.

Of course, people had some hilarious memes to roast these two with.

The Walking Dead (Deleted scene) pic.twitter.com/l1LEd8bZnk

— ᴹ (@glossywife) March 31, 2020

TBH their slow walk is pretty much all of us waiting to get out of quarantine.

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