Covid-19 pandemic: Colombia proposes new restrictions to avoid third peak

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Colombian President, Iván Duque, announced on Sunday, April 4, a series of recommendations to local authorities to restrict mobility and avoid a “third painful peak” of the coronavirus pandemic.

The measures, which will apply from midnight on Monday, April 5, until midnight Monday, April 19, vary according to the level of occupancy of intensive care units (ICU) in each city and, in the most extreme case, including the restriction of mobility between six in the evening and five in the morning where occupancy exceeds 85%.

“We apply these measures in a preventive and anticipatory manner. I invite all Colombians to consciously adopt them to avoid in our country a situation of a third painful peak,” said the head of state in a statement in Cartagena.

The Covid-19 pandemic has left more than 2.4 million people infected and 63,932 dead in Colombia.

The federal government makes the recommendations for managing the pandemic, but the mayors and governors must finally put them into effect.

Duque emphasized that the suggestions are made because the country’s epidemiological situation has increased in some municipalities in the last weeks and that there is a risk of a “new national increase in the next weeks”.

He detailed that the municipalities under observation due to an increase in the curve of cases and deaths are: Bogotá, Manizales, Armenia, Tunja, Barranquilla, Monteria, Leticia, and Pereira.

Likewise, the cities under observation for an increase in cases and deaths and ICU occupancy are Medellin, Cali, Santa Marta, and Barranquilla.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS

Duque explained that the Government’s recommendations for cities with ICU occupancy above 85% are to adopt a curfew between 6 pm and 5 am. Also, to establish the “pico y cédula,” a method to control people’s circulation according to the last digit of their identity card.

On the other hand, for cities with UCI occupancy between 80% and 85%, the curfew will be from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., and the “pico y cédula” should also be implemented. For cities with ICU occupancy between 70% and 79%, the curfew will be 10 pm to 5 am. And finally, for cities with ICU occupancy between 50% and 69%, the mobility restriction will begin at midnight and end at 5 am.

Duque pointed out that the recommendations allow at all times the “transit of people and vehicles that for their return are mobilized on the dates indicated.”

“Under no circumstances can access to the purchase of necessities be prohibited during the nighttime mobility restriction,” he added.

The president clarified that the sale of alcoholic beverages is not prohibited, nor the consumption in restaurants, nor its sale through digital platforms or homes.

Likewise, he recommended governors not to authorize public events involving crowds of people, not to enable the opening of nightclubs and dancing places, nor the consumption of liquor in public spaces and commercial establishments.

Source: efe