France, Spain, Portugal, Northern Cyprus, San Marino, Egypt

 Today's mail brought so many stamps!!!

France issued a 12 stamp booklet of Covid stamps on September 14, 2020. Description from the French post states: 

La Poste issues a booklet of #all committed stamps thanking and honoring everyday heroes during the health crisis.The outbreak of the epidemic crisis and the entry of our country into a state of health emergency on March 24, 2020 created an unprecedented, unforeseen, immediate situation in a suddenly immobile France. In an emergency, we had to adapt and make choices. Women and men have mobilized in the service of all, to protect the French from Covid-19, to support the nation and to make confinement possible and bearable, sometimes at the risk of their lives.La Poste, with the signature “# tous engaged” by artist Ben VAUTIER, pays tribute to these everyday heroes through a booklet of 12 postage stamps illustrating this period that we all recently experienced.




   

Several countries issue what is known as ATM stamps which are stamps that can be bought from kiosk printers in the post office. Spain issued a Covid themed one that was only available for the month of October 2020. 
The ATM stamp features a group of people clapping, something that was repeated daily throughout the country for about two months, as a way of thanking all the heroes of this pandemic.
The design of this issue, as well as other ATM issues, is by Juan Antonio González, the main designer in the Correos philatelic department. The rolls of 1,500 thermal self-adhesive labels were manufactured by Walsall/Cartor Security Printers, and are digitally printed. The size of the label is 55 x 25 mm., and comes fixed on a yellow silicone coated release liner.
As with the sensible precedent set for the National Stamp Fair issues (which was cancelled), the philatelic service manager decided to release the special design from the ES01 philatelic kiosk which is installed in the lobby of the Chamartín mail processing centre, in Madrid.


Portugal issued a second stamp on November 6, 2020. This stamp entitled "A Time for Hope" is described by the Portugal post as:

In 2020, the new coronavirus pandemic shocked the entire world.

Empty streets, boarded-up shops, closed schools, cancelled flights. The advent of working from home. The absolute necessity of wearing a mask and using hand gel, the paradigm of physical distancing. Hugs and other displays of affection forbidden.

The economic crisis has already resulted in millions of people losing their jobs and being plunged into poverty, a situation that has advanced more rapidly than political decision-making.

The measures put in place to combat the pandemic have paralysed entire sectors of the global economy and led the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to make unprecedented forecasts: the global economy could shrink by 4.9% in 2020, battered by a contraction of 8% in the United States, 10.2% in the eurozone and 5.8% in Japan.

Even for those who have not yet been directly affected, the pandemic is already becoming the most important variable in disruption of life on a scale that, until recently, we thought to exist only in the realm of speculative fiction.

Nevertheless, the obligatory confinement many societies found themselves in also brought to the surface signs of hope in humanity and the capacity for regeneration and reinvention of many people.

A new perspective on the effects of pollution, as a result of the severe reduction of all activities; a feeling of planetary union, since the disease is global and does not discriminate along geographical, religious or political lines; a general appeal to creativity to reduce the effects of isolation; the more widespread adoption of acts of kindness and respect for others; the practice of solidarity as a pillar of social behaviour.

Thus, we have decided to use this national philatelic issue to show that hope in the future is indispensable. We believe that it is hope that will help us overcome this crisis. All of us, together.

This issue’s souvenir sheet has an insert made out of graphene – a material now being used for the very first time in philately – with an engraving of the poem “Contagion” by doctor/writer Miguel Torga, written in Coimbra and dated 15 September 1951.








Northern Cyprus issued a Covid postage stamp on November 19, 2020. It was issued as part of a 2020 anniversaries and events collection:
Social Aid stamp & COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic















The next stamp comes from San Marino and was issued on November 10, 2020. According to the San Marino post:
The stamp shows the Mount Titano and the three Towers wearing a mask, symbol of the pandemic: it is dedicated to the commitment of the institutions of San Marino during the Covid-19 sanitary emergency, in particular the Institute for Social Security, to which the proceeds from the sale will be donated.


Today's last stamp comes from Egypt. It was issued on October 20, 2020 and it's theme is "White Army Against Covid-19".





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