by the National Council

Below we share the intiatives that undertook for the communities, temples and Bhakti-vriksha groups to keep us safe and strong, spiritually and materially:

1. Ideas on how to productively participate in Krishna consciousness and associate with each other while confined at home.

Because the government in Argentina ordered a mandatory quarantine, naturally the devotees of the different yatras have started individually different online programs, disseminated through social networks and online platforms for the benefit of the congregation:

Kirtan Juntos (Kirtan Together, on Facebook) - different devotees perform bhajans from their homes in an organized manner with different schedules; also devotees from other countries have joined this initiative.

On Facebook, Jitsi, Zoom, WhatsApp or Skype: Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam classes from Buenos Aires, Rosario, Mendoza, Córdoba and Merlo, plus Skype japa or Bhakti-vriksha meetings.
 
Devotees are also associating spontaneously on countless WatsApp groups.

2. Best practices adopted worldwide to care for devotees and protect each other.

The National Council recommended the temporary closure of all centers, based on the increasingly rigorous measures taken by the Argentinian government, reaching to the point of mandatory lockdown.
 
3. How to prevent getting the infection and spreading it.

Reminders of safety regulations - individual and collective.
 
Coexistence protocols and things to consider

 -Do not share dishes
 -Wash your hands frequently
 -Use alcohol-based sanitizing gel
 -Avoid shaking hands, hugs and kisses
 -Be on the lookout for symptoms (dry cough, fever, sore throat, trouble breathing, diarrhea and body pain)
 -Do not sneeze without covering your mouth (use your elbow)
 -The cooks and those who serve prasadam.  they are required to wear a mask.
 -Be careful to touch your mouth, nose and eyes with your hands without first washing your hands.
This area is EXTREMELY important that it is protected, because it is here that the virus enters.

It's NOT that only those who are infected should use a mask; see how all Chinese wear masks.
 
Since this virus is asymptomatic for a long time (up to 14 days), that time passes without presenting symptoms and one can have it without knowing and still beig infecting everyone.
 
 Furthermore, the virus has a high contagion power.
 -Avoid the use of street shoes in the temple or home.
 -Keep asramas and rooms ventilated
 -Take prasadam separately and keep distance even while it's served.
 -Gloves may not be always essential, in addition, viruses remain longer in the latex.
 The most important thing is to wash your hands or use gel alcohol.
 -The cell phone is an extension of our hands, periodically cleaning it with alcohol.  Be careful with the camera and the port to charge the cell phone.
 -Clean the surfaces with water and bleach.  The virus remains on surfaces alive for some time.
 -One of the most important recommendations is isolation, as this prevents contagion and exponential spread.
 -When you bring home items bought outside (groceries, etc.), pass over them a cloth with water and bleach, since they go through several hands, especially the cashier's, who with the gloves he uses in his hands, touches bills, cards, keyboard, etc.
 -Wash fruits and vegetables before using them
 -After handling the money you have to wash your hands.

4. Analysis of the consequences and developments in areas such as the economy, geopolitics, security, etc.

 A clear decline in economic growth is forecast, and there is talk of even a major global recession.
 Decision-making at the national and provincial levels so far continues to be mandatory preventive isolation, until it is determined whether the curve in the statistics will fall favourably without further cases of infection and have a low mortality rate.
 Food prices continue to increase, affecting both the poorest and wealthiest populations.
 The global situation and decisions of the other countries strongly influence Argentina. To the existing problems - which are many -  new and even more complex are added daily.
 It is necessary to analyse future scenarios as accurately as possible and thus determine the steps to be followed in the community of devotees in pursuit of our association and outreach, considering  the measures ordered by the government.
 

NATIONAL SECURITY HIGHLIGHTS:

03/17/2020.  Suspension of soccer games, and all kinds of mass events; all meetings in churches also suspended.
 03/18/2020.  Construction of 8 Modular Emergency Hospitals: The Ministry of Public Works sets the stage for a very large epidemic.
 03/19/2020.  Social, preventive and compulsory isolation for the entire population.
 03/25/2020.  Mandatory use of the COVID-19 application for everyone entering the country.
 03/26/2020 extension of the closure of borders.

5. Conclusion - some considerations.

ISKCON Argentina decided, on 17 March 2020, to adopt all measures recommedned by the government and by the GBC. Meanwhile, from Iskcon Argentina the decision was made by resolution of March 17, 2020.
 We are currently undergoing a mandatory quarantine, which has heavy impact on the national and personal economy.
 Many devotees of the congregation are self-employed, independent workers and very soon they will seriously feel this economic disruption.
Although the government has managed economic aid measures for this sector, they are not enough.
The congregation of devotees should prepare for an extreme case where there may be families of devotees in a deplorable financial state.
In some provinces such as Mendoza, the Govinda restaurant and Gopal pizzeria offer food to devotees who have no resources or income.  
Seeing the situation, perhaps engaging in Food for Life could address the need of devotees with no income and also assist people in general.
 The devotee communities of the various yatras are creating networks to the help the families of devotees experiencing financial hardship.

It is imperative to maintain devotees communication to continue in association at least through the internet to care for devotees both spiritually and materially and to continue the spreading of Krishna consciousnss.

Your servants,
Junta Nacional (National Council), ISKCON Argentina