Pierluisi eliminates the total closure on Sundays, and the coverage will start at 23:00

governor Pedro Pierluisi removed the “blockade” on Sunday to “standardize” measures against COVID-19 and delayed the start of the frame by two hours, so it will now be between 23:00 and 05:00, in the executive order that will take effect next Friday, January 8.

Here are the most important changes:

– The new executive order will be in force for 30 days, until February 7, but will be open to changes by the governor. “I reserve the right to adjust, modify, as necessary … If I still have to be restricted, it is restricted. If you have to make it more flexible, it makes it more flexible, ”said Pierluisi.

– Coverage is maintained, but will now start at 11pm until 5:00 am Stores must close at 10:00 pm

– Closing or “blocking” on Sundays is removed to standardize restrictions.

– Opening of beaches, marinas, parks and common areas, including swimming pools. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited in these areas and is necessary to ensure social distancing. People who are not from the same household should be kept at a distance of 10 feet. Condominium councils and associations will determine the number of people allowed in these areas.

– The Department of Natural Resources and municipalities must place signs in public areas with the provisions of the executive order.

– Units allowed to operate, including restaurants, must maintain capacity at 30% and social distance measures.

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

“Although I would like to make it more flexible and eliminate the coverage, I was looking for a fine balance,” the president said.

On the other hand, Pierluisi announced a series of initiatives to address the impact of the pandemic in different sectors of the country. To this end, it ordered the Treasury Department to submit, within a 10-day period, a plan to the Cares Act Disbursement Committee to financially support loss-making businesses starting March 15. Emphasis will be placed on bars and restaurants.

In the meantime, he called for improved statistics and the system for tracking infections so that the Department of Health, La Fortaleza staff and government IT staff could improve their information in real time.

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

In terms of public and private education, Pierluisi indicated that he continues to plan a gradual and partial reopening of schools to provide face-to-face education. “Clearly, we should be able to reopen by early March. I say this because until then it is possible that all teachers will be vaccinated, in the same way the staff working in schools “, he said.

Read the executive order here

The governor said that before drafting the new executive order, which will take effect on Friday, he had the input of Scientific Coalition medical advisers who preferred that the current restrictions not be changed too much due to the high level of infections that are still registered and the commercial sectors that required more flexibility to develop their operations.