Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico – Less than a month before the holiday period begins the Jalisco State Government on Wednesday presented the guidelines approved by the Health Board for Semana Santa 2021 with the aim of avoiding further COVID-19 infections.
“Thanks to the measures taken during the last few weeks, we have been able to control and reduce the high rates of positive cases and hospital occupancy. However, we cannot lower our guard and relax prevention measures,” the Secretary-General of the Government, Enrique Ibarra Pedroza, said.
The Secretary-General asked the population to take into account the following guidelines that will be applied in all beach destinations and Pueblos Mágicos in Jalisco during the Easter holiday period:
Guidelines for Religious Celebrations
• Processions, pilgrimages, reenactments & celebrations that generate crowds are prohibited
• Churches are asked to produce and promote virtual masses
Economic Sector Guidelines
• Beaches will only be open from 5:00 in the morning to 5:00 in the afternoon
• Restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues must close at 11:00 pm
• Hotels will maintain a capacity of 66% and will reinforce the application of protocols, preventive measures and safe activities
Health Sector Guidelines
• Strengthening of health filters on roads, at airports and at bus stations
• Increased testing at strategic points within the cities
• Municipalities should restrict activities that generate crowds, avoid issuing permits
Measures are temporary and will be lifted when the Semana Santa vacation period ends
“We are 25 days away from Holy Week and for all of us it is very important to be able to maintain control of this disease and to comply with all prevention measures at the same time,” Enrique Ibarra Pedroza said on Wednesday.
For his part, the General Strategic Coordinator of Growth and Economic Development, Alejandro Guzmán Larralde, pointed out that the objective is to avoid crowds during Holy Week so that new outbreaks are not generated.
Anna Bárbara Casillas García, General Strategic Coordinator of Social Development emphasized the importance of maintaining the measures and protocols in the presence of the virus in the entity: “We are asking citizens to avoid crowded places. We will do everything to ensure that the municipalities follow the mandates set by the state government, however, we also need everyone to cooperate by wearing a mask and using it correctly (covering both nose and mouth), respecting all protocols, avoiding closed spaces and not staying in the same place for long periods (less than 40 minutes).”
The State Secretary of Health, Fernando Petersen, explained that regarding the epidemiological panorama of COVID-19, over the last three weeks, Jalisco has presented a significant decrease of confirmed cases per day, reaching a maximum of 798 cases two weeks ago to having just 349 cases on Monday. “The transmission is going down. The positivity Monday was the lowest we have had during the entire pandemic with 16.51% in Radar Jalisco, that is, just 16 out of every 100 tests came out positive.”
He pointed out that the elderly are the most affected so far as they represent the highest percentage of total deaths with 70%. At the cut of this Wednesday, the general death toll was 10,512. Regarding hospitalizations, there is a 21.9% occupancy.
“More than 700 people are still hospitalized in Jalisco, the only way to maintain the guidelines to get through Easter with the greatest possible precaution is with the support of the people, we cannot lower our guard,” Petersen said.
Source: jalisco.gob.mx
