SAN JUAN — In a press conference at one of the main movie theaters in the San Juan metropolitan area, Gov. Wanda Vázquez Garced announced the lifting of the island’s lockdown and the reopening of practically all businesses and services to the public, leaving the responsibility to continue with the safety measures to avoid the spread of COVID-19 up to citizens and the private sector.
The determination was made taking into account the low need to date for health services for infected patients and with a coronavirus fatality rate of 3% to 4%.
The recommendations of the scientists and doctors who make up the medical task force created to advise the governor during the pandemic were not considered. Vázquez Garced indicated that after the economic opening, the function of the task force was modified to monitor the disease indicators.
Thus, the governor said that businesses of all kinds such as gyms, bars, restaurants, movie theaters and spas, as well as beaches, can open starting June 16, while the use of masks and physical distancing remains compulsory.
“If we forget those lessons learned and if there are spikes in cases, hospitalizations, intensive [care units] or use of ventilators or, in the worst case, of deaths, I will have no option to restore the (previous) curfews,” the governor said.
The new guidelines will take effect June 16 and run through July 1… (VIEW THE FULL ARTICLE)
