June 4, 2020
Dear friends:
We are about to enter a “new normal.” And though the coronavirus epidemic still affects us, we need to reactivate the economy. We will continue to prioritize everyone’s heath, as we must learn tolive with the coronavirus.
So far, we have fought it by staying at home, but as soon as we start to go out, the situation will change.
Therefore, we must continue to uphold the preventive and hygienic measures that have been implemented since the start of the pandemic.
We continue to encourage social-distancing and ask that everyone who is able to do so to please remain at home.
A few days ago, I presented a plan to begin the economic recovery of the state.
This is the “Reactivating Quintana Roo” plan.
Today, I would like to explain to you in further detail how this program will work and how we will follow the traffic light system to gauge the level of caution with which we can begin our phased reopening.
Let’s remember that Covid-19 is still a serious threat; it can make us sick and cause hospitalization, intubation and even death.
There is still no vaccine or medicine that will allow us to protect ourselves completely.
If we work together, according to this plan, we will be able to contain and diminish the level of contagion, and control its effects.
That is why I want to present to you the “Reactivating Quintana Roo” program.
Let’s remember that our general strategy is focused on three main priorities.
First to save lives, second to protect and support families and third to reignite our economy and start our recovery.
We have taken a number of actions to save lives, including expanding hospital capacity with more than 1,000 beds for Covid-19, hiring more than 600 health professionals, taking care of more than 9,000 people with chronic diseases and more than 6,000 pregnant women.
To support the families of Quintana Roo, 700,000 food parcels have been delivered and support has been provided with utilities including water, electricity, gas and healthcare.
The Plan Against Domestic Violence has been carried out to protect children, teenagers and women.
In order to restart the economy, many business leaders, traders and workers signed a Solidarity Pact with the State Government as part of a joint effort to maintain as many jobs as possible.
It is in that spirit of solidarity and commitment to the health and well-being of everyone in our state that the “Reactivating Quintana Roo” strategy will be gradual. The objective is to reduce contact between people and avoid crowding even as we reopen our society.
As the color of the traffic light changes, so too will the allowance for the number of people and operations for the state’s businesses.
First, some activities will start and then others will follow. The traffic light and the guidelines will tell us who will go out first and how they should go about their business. This is the responsible approach because it establishes the moral obligation of all citizens to care for one another. If we are moving forward and we do so in a disorganized way the number of sick people will increase, as well as the number of people who will need to be hospitalized and unfortunately, we could have more deaths.
If it is not your turn to go out, be responsible and stay at home, especially if you are part of a vulnerable group.
As always, if you need help call 911.
Please remember the importance of washing your hands frequently with soap and water, not shaking hands, kissing or hugging and not touching your face. Continue to use face masks, continue cleaning surfaces, avoid hand to hand payments and continue practicing social distancing.
The state traffic light system is aligned with federal methodology and guidelines. It has 4 colors that indicate the health risk for any given moment: red, orange, yellow and green.
The color of the traffic light is determined by two indicators: the new contagions that occur and the medical and hospital capacity available. The colors indicate the extent to which gradual opening of essential and non-essential activities can happen, the gradual and limited reincorporation of the vulnerable population, as well as the gradual reopening of social and leisure activities.
The traffic light divides our state into two regions: the Southern and Northern region. The map reflects the level of risk for individual regions so all residents can know what the level of re-opening is where they are.
Activities have different risk levels depending on the number of interactions between people that represent and the possibility of contagion.
That is why our traffic light incorporates specific measurement units depending on the economic activity taking place at each business. In the case of hotels, it is the number of rooms, for restaurants it is the number of tables, for workplaces it is the number of people and for transport it is the number of seats, for events it is the capacity, for street commerce it is keeping the safe distance between vendors and pedestrians, all while enforcing the mandatory use of mask and antibacterial gel and avoiding hand to hand payment.
You can open your business or go to work when the traffic light color allows it, but remember, everything will be done gradually and in an orderly fashion. This begins with assessing whether your activity is essential or not.
Remember that this government promoted tourism as an essential activity, but not all tourism activities will resume at the same time.
If you wish to know the entire list of essential activities, please visit the “Reactivemos Quintana Roo” website – reactivemosquintanaroo.gob.mx
Here are some examples of essential activities, the measurement units and the level of openness depending on the color of the traffic light.
In this slide we can see some activities related to the tourism sector. It should be noted that we are trying to open up the economic sectors and their related activities in a coordinated manner.
In this next slide we see some examples of activities in the construction, manufacturing and support services sector.
Here we see some examples of professional services, commerce and other activities, we must remember that this gradual opening responds to the epidemiological moment in which we find ourselves and to the importance of this activity in the state economy.
It is important to be aware of the state traffic light and official regulations.
Transportation deserves a special mention since public transportation represents a greater risk of contagion. It is very important to follow the measures that have been established for this sector.
We are reducing the maximum capacity allowed on buses and other public transportation for everyone’s protection, as well as reinforcing the disinfection and hygiene measures of the units and people.
Remember to avoid paying hand-to-hand and use antibacterial gel immediately afterward if you haven’t already.
Here we see what corresponds to outdoor activities, shopping centers, gyms and sports clubs, beauty and aesthetic services, as well as face-to-face educational services.
The state traffic light goes into effect on June 8 and will be updated weekly. I ask that you pay attention to official communications on this topic. If for some reason we have a rebound or an extraordinary epidemiological situation, the traffic light may change to red again and we should all go back to isolation.
This week there is no public service, it is time to learn and be trained in the measures we must take.
Make the changes required in this new normality to avoid crowds and thus reduce the speed of virus transmission.
It is very important that you know your general health conditions, since they determine the special measures that you must follow.
If you are part of a vulnerable population, if you are over 60 years old or have a disease such as kidney issues, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, asthma, among others please be especially mindful of the traffic light system.
For example, if you are a vulnerable person with a high level of risk when the traffic light is red, you should not go to the workplace and you should avoid contact with other people, stay at home.
Another example if you are a vulnerable person with a low or controlled risk level, you can attend the workplace, always strictly adhering to special sanitary measures.
On the “Reactivemos Quintana Roo” webpage you will find a table to easily calculate your risk level – reactivemosquintanaroo.gob.mx
I insist on frequent hand washing, the obligatory use of the face mask and keeping healthy distance from others. These measures are our best protection. Clean and disinfect common areas and objects of use, lead a healthy life, take care of your diet, try to eat at home with healthy foods that make your immune system stronger, if you need guidance you can ask for help and we will give it to you.
Try to exercise at least 20 minutes a day, if you have fever, cough, headache, sore throat and shortness of breath, call 911, don’t wait until it’s too late.
If you go out to work it is important to understand and apply all the prevention and protection measures to protect your health in your home, on the road and in the work environment.
If you are an employer, you must have guidelines, train and care for your staff on health prevention measures, as well as reducing contact between people.
We must be attentive to official instructions to apply tests that detect the Covid-19 virus in a timely manner. For more information on the strategy visit the reactivemosquintanaroo.gob.mx webpage.
Friends of Quintana Roo:
I want to be clear, the crisis is not over.
If we neglect and relax discipline in complying with these sanitary measures, there may be a new outbreak of the virus that puts the health of the population at risk.
If that happens, we will return to the red color at the traffic light, which means returning to isolation in our homes.
On June 8 we will begin the gradual revival of the economy. This does not mean that we must lower our guard, on the contrary, today more than ever we must protect ourselves.
Please know that the negligence of some can put everyone at risk.
It is everyone’s responsibility to stop the spread of the virus.
If we join efforts, we can return to our activities taking care of ourselves.
Quintana Roo has world class tourist destinations.
We want thousands of national and foreign visitors to return to our state in the near future.
And that will allow us to continue to being leaders in job creation and economic development in the country.
Only by working together, with the same objective, can we face this epidemic.
If we are united in this effort, we can do more!
With responsibility, solidarity and optimism, Together We Will Succeed!
