Cancun coronavirus latest: return to yellow semaphore
The counties of Benito Juarez (Cancun) and Othon P. Blanco (Chetumal) concentrate 85 percent of the active cases of coronavirus in Quintana Roo, that is, of the 920 people carrying the virus, 787 are distributed in these two districts, based on daily information from the State Health Services (Sesa). The entity registered five new positive cases and four people in social isolation in 24 hours.
In January 2021, when the second wave of contagions was registered, the state had 1,382 active cases, however, despite the fact that the number has decreased during the first two weeks of March, people have already started to relax sanitary measures, since this long weekend the beaches were crowded with foreign, national and local tourists. In addition to this, during the same period, nightlife activity had a significant increase, as a tour of the nightclubs in Cancun's Hotel Zone showed a high capacity.
Last Friday, a group of 44 Argentinean students were found to have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 when they returned to their country after a vacation in Cancun, and the official number has increased to 112 in the last few days.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the entity has accumulated 20,638 infections, of which 2,445 have died and 17,256 have recovered. There are still 196 cases under study, 772 people in social isolation, and 148 hospitalized patients. The rate of growth of infection in the northern zone is 0.15, while in the south it is 0.13.
Figures accumulated up to yesterday
In Benito Juarez (Cancun) there are nine thousand 964 positive cases, one thousand 529 deaths and eight thousand 23 recovered, while Othon P Blanco registered five thousand 194 positive cases, 292 deaths, and four thousand 590 people who have recovered their health.
In Solidaridad (Playa del Carmen) there are 2,764 people infected, 289 deaths, and 2,402 people recovered. Cozumel has 654 positive cases, 113 deaths, and 496 recovered patients.
Felipe Carrillo Puerto has 460 positive cases, 69 deaths, and 366 patients recovered. Lazaro Cardenas has so far 387 infected, 32 deaths due to coronavirus, and 345 people who have recovered their health.
Tulum has an accumulation of 403 positive cases, 30 deaths due to coronavirus, and 356 recovered, followed by Bacalar with 327 positive cases, 13 deaths, and 299 who have recovered from the disease.
Isla Mujeres reported 276 positive cases, 25 have died and 231 have recovered. José María Morelos has 168 positive cases, 40 confirmed deaths due to coronavirus, and 118 patients who have recovered.
Puerto Morelos with 41 positive cases, 13 deaths, and 27 people recovered from the disease.
Yellow semaphore
With the yellow traffic light, the reactivation of laundries, fishing, retail food trade, construction, legislative activities, and agriculture will be allowed. The sale of furniture and computers will be allowed in stores with 80 percent of capacity, while accounting, administrative, professional, and technical services will have a maximum capacity of 75 percent, and gyms and sports clubs in open spaces will be allowed at 70 percent.
While in closed spaces, establishments such as hotels, restaurants, theme parks, golf courses, tourist services, beaches and public parks, religious services, theaters and cinemas, shopping malls, department stores, and beauty salons may only operate at 60% of their capacity.
Although the suspension of non-essential governmental activities remains in effect. This is an extension of the measure, since in the middle of last month the first suspension of work was decreed from January 16 to February 15. The activities related to tax collection, audits, attention to formalities, Health, Civil Protection, Public Safety, as well as Conciliation Boards remain active.
Coronavirus testing for Cancun visitors
In Quintana Roo, the group Aeropuertos del Sureste (ASUR), the company that manages the Cancun air terminal, has set up three modules to carry out the antigen test for passengers traveling to the United States, since as of Monday it is a requirement to have a negative result in order to enter the country.
Travelers will be able to take the antigen test even on the same day of their flight, since it is generated in a period of between 15 and 30 minutes, delivering the result in a physical printed document or electronically, so that the passenger will have these means to prove to the airline the result of their test.
The cost of each of the tests for travelers going to the U.S. is 17 dollars (or its equivalent in the local currency, 340 pesos) and the result is provided after 30 minutes. The modules for the application of the antigen tests at the Cancun International Airport were placed in terminals 2 (in the park located in front of the building), 3 (inside the facilities), and 4 (on the platform of the tourist transporters).
In Quintana Roo, hotels and vacation clubs are offering free testing and accommodation to guests who become infected. Most will offer free antigen tests and free lodging for 14 days to their guests in case they test positive.
Health protocol due to coronavirus in Cancun
Faced with the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic COVID- 19, declared by the WHO, the City Council of Benito Juarez through the competent agencies has developed the opening protocol for the beaches of Cancun whose main objective is to safeguard the safety of all users and visitors.
Quintana Roo, where Cancun and the Riviera Maya are located, will reinforce health security measures at airports and tourist facilities in view of the presence of the new strain of coronavirus in the United States, the main issuing market for the Mexican Caribbean.
The State Secretary of Health was informed of an operation to verify foreign flights arriving at the air terminal when the presence of the new strain in the United States was known.
"We are making special checks on several flights arriving from abroad to the Cancun International Airport to be more certain of avoiding coronavirus COVID-19," said Governor Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez in his social networks.
Cancun, meanwhile, will continue to receive travelers from the United Kingdom after the new strain of coronavirus, which experts say is ultra-contagious, was detected. However, as long as the federal government does not issue an order to close the borders with the said country, the largest air entry to the Mexican Caribbean will receive more than a thousand British passengers per week.
Currently, the sites with the highest tourist influx represent a continuous risk within this health contingency of coronavirus, so the containment and staggered occupation of the beaches in Cancun is of utmost importance to avoid the spread of infections in the famous tourist destination. The activities suggested will work based on the alert level of the Sanitary System, as well as the geographic area.
The purpose is to apply the necessary sanitary measures for the prevention and reduction of the coronavirus COVID-19 in Cancun, as a support to the tourist activity of the destination, generating confidence and certainty to the users by establishing a system of measurement and permanent sanitary surveillance on the beaches.
The maximum capacity of each beach will be 60% while the state epidemiological indicator will be marked in yellow.
It is mandatory for all users to respect the distance of at least 1.5 meters.
Sanitary prevention measures must be marked on the beaches.
The symptoms of respiratory infections must be exposed.
Hygiene stations with 70% alcohol must be placed.
In the areas that are required, the space of healthy distance between users must be indicated.
Entrance to facilities and sandy beaches
The hours allowed on the beaches of Cancun during the yellow phase of the epidemiological warning light established by the state government will be from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Sunday. The allowed influx, according to the yellow phase, will be 60% of the average capacity on each of the beaches.
The access and consumption of alcoholic beverages will not be allowed on the beaches.
All users who wish to access the beaches must follow the following instructions:
To arrive with cover mouth put.
To join the line of access guarding healthy distance.
Place antibacterial gel on your hands.
Allow your body temperature to be taken. If the person has a temperature above 37.5 degrees, he or she will not be allowed access to the beach.
Allow the check of coolers and/or bags in case of carrying them, since alcoholic beverages are not allowed.
Keep your mask or if it is disposable, put it in the corresponding container. The person who is caught throwing his or her gloves, mouthpiece, or any type of sanitary waste into the sands will be subject to a penalty.
The stay inside the beach can be of a maximum of 5 people by group, in case of exceeding this number they will be asked to fulfill the established protocol.
Toilets
Entrance to toilets and showers should be coordinated and avoid crowding of more than 5 people.
The signaling of healthy distance and instructions of the personnel in charge for the access to facilities should be respected.
Sports activities
No group sports or physical contact activities will be allowed on the beach, only individual sports activities such as swimming, athletics, among others.
Photographic viewpoint
Visitors who want to take a picture at a photo lookout point should follow the directions and line up, respecting a 1.5 m distance from others in the waiting line, and wear a mask.
It is important to apply the anti-bacterial gel before and after touching railings, letters, or bases inside the photographic viewpoint to prevent the spread and infection of COVID-19 coronavirus.
Health Protocol
It is compulsory to respect the sanitary protocol inside the beaches, so if any person does not comply with the sanitary rules, he or she cannot stay inside. All people entering the beaches must do so:
Wash their hands frequently with alcohol-based hand sanitizer 70%, or with soap and water.
When coughing or sneezing, cover the mouth and nose with a bent elbow or tissue, then throw the tissue in the appropriate container and immediately wash hands.
Keep at least 1.5 meters (3 feet) distance between users, in case of a group of 2 to 5 people, and keep at least 3 meters distance between users who are not in a group.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth as the virus can be transmitted from the surface to these points.
Use antibacterial gel containing at least 70% alcohol concentration.
Mouthguards and disposable gloves should be placed in a special container.
Access Station
Official information about the COVID-19 coronavirus must be provided in the areas assigned as access, as well as measures to be taken to avoid its propagation, placing signs about the prevention of contagion.
The kiosk must have at least one dispenser with disinfectant gel or alcohol.
Assigned personnel must use protective measures such as face shields, masks and maintain a healthy distance from visitors.
It is very important to implement the code of conduct for users and visitors, mask or mouthpiece at their entrance, stay or exit from the beach.
Beach area
If the beach has palapas, it is recommended to use them as long as they keep a minimum distance of 3 meters and the use of these is limited to 5 people.
Only groups of 5 people or less will be allowed to stay, and if they do not comply with this indication they must leave the beach.
The facilities must be disinfected before the opening hours of the beach. It is important to keep a log of disinfection services. These services should be carried out in accordance with the recommendations issued by the World Health Organization.
In all toilets, social distancing marks and antibacterial gel dispensers should be placed in the access area, according to the following:
Antibacterial gel dispensers should be placed in all toilets.
Toilet personnel should wear masks, mouth guards, and gloves.
Information on proper handwashing and relevant information on preventive measures for COVID-19 coronavirus should be posted in the restrooms.
The personnel in charge of the bathrooms must limit the access according to the capacity.
Waste containers
It is important to implement the use of a container exclusively for waste such as mouth guards, gloves, and dispensers among others. The collection of these, the solid urban waste generated in the containers, should be carried out in a timely manner to avoid sources of contamination.
By Mexicanist