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Although Governor Pedro Pierluisi intended to eliminate the situation, he announced yesterday that in his decision, the recommendations of the Scientific Coalition – which offers him advice on controlling the COVID-19 epidemic – weighed in force. most restrictions and caution when making business operations more flexible.
In his first response to this epidemic since taking office, Pierluisi limited himself to extend working hours until 22:00, including Sundays, as well as allowing the opening of outdoor leisure spaces.
“Although I would like to make it more flexible and eliminate the crooked, and we have received complaints from people and the business sector for this purpose, we have sought a fine balance,” the chief executive said at a second news conference. o at La Fortaleza that he swore in his position.
Starting this Friday, when the new executive order comes into force, citizens will have only three changes in terms of restrictions on their social, commercial and recreational life to prevent contagion and deaths due to COVID-19: the reach is reduced by two hours and now it will be from 23 to 5 in the morning; the commercial closure on Sundays has been eliminated; and beaches, parks and common areas can be used without congestion or alcohol consumption.
This command It will be in force until February 7, although Pierluisi has indicated that he can make changes if he deems it necessary. Above all, if the response capacity of hospitals is compromised, which yesterday had 425 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized, of which 69 were in intensive care and 74 had a respiratory system.
Pierluisi acknowledged that there were different pressures, as “the commercial sector demanded major changes.” In fact, the executive director of the Association of Restaurants (ASORE), Gadiel Lebrón, told this newspaper that he hopes that the changes in the executive order that Pierluisi will make will be bigger than the ones he finally announced. “We hoped it would give us 50% capacity. This would have been more flexible, as six feet of space required would reduce the seating space by half or less in most restaurants, ”he said.
Lebrón acknowledged that the changes announced by Pierluisi could help improve the sector’s revenues, but they are not enough for restaurants to recover from the blow they received in December. He is therefore confident that the governor will continue to relax the restrictions.
The Scientific Coalition, which Pierluisi called in November, recommended not promoting “major changes,” because the positivity rate of tests conducted in Puerto Rico remains at 10%, which is double the level recommended by the World Health Organization. health.
In its report, the coalition also warned that the festivities had significantly reduced the number of tests performed, which in turn limited the ability to analyze the situation.
In its daily situation report, Salud yesterday reported 57 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths due to the disease.
However, the governor stressed that the executive order and trade restrictions are not the solution to the pandemic and that his administration will strengthen the positive case data system and try to speed up the distribution of vaccines.
Asked by the newspaper, the health secretary-designate, Carlos Mellado, said he hoped to meet the projection that vaccination would open to the entire population in March, “as long as vaccines continue to arrive.”
From the first phase, which applies to health professionals, about 50% of vaccination has been completed, Mellado said. Vaccinations will begin next week for first responders, such as police, firefighters and emergency medical workers, as well as for adults 65 and older. “In this phase (1B), there is the possibility of vaccinating teachers and non-teaching staff,” Mellado added.
Regarding the return to classes, Pierluisi mentioned that they continue to plan the gradual reopening of schools for March, but it will depend on the “vaccination of all teachers” as well as teachers. “When they are all vaccinated, I am sure we will be in a position (to open),” he told reporters.
For his part, Mellado mentioned that Salud sent letters to laboratories asking them to improve data transmission, in order to have information about the positivity rate in real time.
The Department of Health issued a report yesterday recommending that the maximum capacity of people visiting malls, retail stores and department stores be maintained at 30% and that restaurants can set up “families with less than six people on the table”. bars and hammocks can only provide food and drink.
Regarding recreation, Salud recommended opening beaches and allowing boats to be used as crowds from different families are prohibited. On the beaches a limit of six people per group is required. He recommended keeping cinemas, theaters, casinos, public libraries, museums and game centers closed.
The Scientific Coalition is speaking
On the other hand, the president of the Scientific Coalition, Daniel Colón Ramos, assured that they gave the governor consensus recommendations for the future executive orders. This coalition was appointed by Pierluisi on November 23, in order to make decisions based on scientific data and analysis.
“Our main observation is the recognition that the situation remains very serious in Puerto Rico and globally,” Colón Ramos said in written statements. Although the coalition’s suggestion was that the order should not change substantially, they made recommendations for the reopening of recreational areas, such as beaches and parks, in recognition of the impact these restrictions have had on mental health.
Economic assistance
On the other hand, through the executive order, Pierluisi ordered the Secretary of the Treasury, Francisco Parés Alicea, to present in 10 days a plan to distribute the economic assistance to the enterprises that had losses starting with March 15 last year. “There will be a special focus on bars and restaurants that had to be closed during the pandemic,” the chief executive said.
The Secretary-General for Economic Development and Trade, Manuel Cidre, said that in all likelihood, the first 15,000 small businesses applying for aid would be affected.
“There must be some important conditions: number one, for them to be businesses inserted in the formal economy. A person who does not comply with the SUT and the regulations, unfortunately, does not qualify. The second thing is that there is a commitment to open the business. It’s not just about taking money and migrating; is to take the money, to pay your rent for a while in what is happening to reopen the business “, said Cidre.
The economic subsidy plan will be developed with a portion of the $ 417 million surplus from federal funds allocated to Puerto Rico by the Coronavirus Alleviation, Rescue and Economic Security Act (Cares). The United States Congress has allocated $ 787 million to Puerto Rico in a package of measures to support the emergency of the coronavirus.