Pierluisi eliminates full Sunday closing and curfew starts at 11pm

The Governor Pedro Pierluisi lifted the “lockdown” on Sunday to “standardize” measures against it COVID-19 and has delayed the start of the curfew by two hours, so it will now be from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., in the executive order taking effect this Friday, January 8.

Here are the main changes:

– The new implementing decree is in effect for 30 days, until February 7, but is open to changes by the governor. “I reserve the right to adapt it, change it, if necessary … If more needs to be limited, it is limited. If you have to make it more flexible, it also makes it more flexible, ”says Pierluisi.

– Curfews are enforced but now starts at 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Stores must close at 10 p.m.

– The closure or “lockdown” of Sundays is eliminated to make restrictions uniform.

– The opening of beaches, marinas, parks and communal areas, including swimming pools. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited in these areas and is required to ensure social distance. People who are not from the same household should stay 10 feet apart. Platform boards and associations determine the number of people allowed in those areas.

– The Directorate of Natural Resources and the municipalities must place signs in public areas with the provisions of the implementing decree.

– The companies that are allowed to operate, including restaurants, must keep the capacity at 30% and take social distance measures.

– There were no changes regarding the bars and jets, which are not allowed to work.

“While I would like to be more flexible and do away with curfew, I have struck a good balance,” said the president.

On the other hand, Pierluisi announced a series of initiatives to address the impact of the pandemic in the different sectors of the country. To this end, it ordered the Treasury Department to submit a plan within 10 days to the Cares Act Disbursement Committee to financially assist commercial entities that have suffered losses since March 15. Emphasis will be placed on bars and restaurants.

In the meantime, he asked the Ministry of Health, La Fortaleza staff and government IT to improve statistics and infection tracking system so that more information is available in real time.

He also ordered the implementation of a media campaign for prevention and education about the pandemic, as well as a plan to expand the administration of COVID-19 tests and the expansion of monoclonal treatments to prevent complications in infected patients.

Regarding public and private education, Pierluisi indicated that they are continuing to plan a gradual and partial reopening of school campuses to provide personalized education. “It is clear that we should be able to reopen in early March. I say this because by that date it is possible that we will have vaccinated all teachers, as well as the staff working in the schools, ”he said.

Read the executive order here

The governor indicated that prior to drafting the new executive order, which will take effect Friday, he had input from the Scientific Coalition’s medical advisers who preferred that the current restrictions should not be changed much due to the high number infections that still exist. is registered and the commercial sectors that asked for more flexibility to develop their activities.