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President Iván Duque warned that this Monday, when the return of two important new sectors to productive life begins – construction and manufacturing – not all workers will be out on the street in one fell swoop.
And he also recalled that citizens must take into account that mandatory preventive isolation is maintained, as the main measure to face the coronavirus pandemic, which has already exceeded 5,000 confirmed cases in the country.
In other words, the quarantine is not over. And it will continue until at least May 11.
For this reason, the head of state has been clear that this first great test of return to economic activity will be done with a sense of gradualness and strictly complying with the defined health protocols. And he stressed that those who do not comply with the protocols will not be able to go out to produce.
“It is not that all those who work in the sectors are going to leave next Monday, as we were two months ago. No, again I insist. Here you will enter with a sense of responsibility and gradualness, as these protocols are adopted, “said Duque.
For this reason, the Government issued Decree 593 of April 24, 2020, which officially extends the mandatory isolation measure in the country until May 11. And the restrictions for people over 70 years of age and for minors are maintained, as well as the restriction on the purchase of medicines and markets, among other products, for a single person per family nucleus.
Now, The additional measures seek to gradually and gradually recover the productive life of the country, but under clear premises. “First, the existence of protocols and, second, the application of those protocols”, Duke said.
Because although the Government is aware of the health risk posed by the coronavirus, and has taken all the measures it considers necessary, it also knows that it is not prudent to keep the economy in the ‘freezer’.
The new decree
For this reason, in decree 593, the exceptions for people to go out to fulfill their productive tasks went from 35 to 41. Of course, those who are exempted must be fully accredited in the exercise of their functions or activities.
In said decree, as announced, Construction companies that comply with protocols will be allowed to start working.
It will also allow the circulation of people who belong to the production, supply, storage and repair chain, among others.
This means that sectors such as cement companies and those that distribute construction materials may also go out to work.
“The collaborators required for each project may restart their work, provided that the guidelines for social distancing are maintained and that they have all the protection elements established in the protocol,” said Housing Minister Jonathan Malagón.
And I add: “It is important to clarify that only projects that have submitted their protocol implementation manuals to the ministry may restart“
And it is important to clarify that the works or locative repairs in the homes are not enabled.
The decree also enables the manufacturing sector to return to production.
“The idea is to begin to recover the production capacity gradually and progressively. Recover some sectors of the economy“Said the Minister of Commerce, José Manuel Restrepo.
Until now, what the National Government has defined is that the Ministry of Health determines general biosafety protocols for each sector. And the mayors are in charge of verifying compliance. This means that compliance with these protocols will be guaranteed through the Health Secretariats.
The minister was also clear in pointing out that Although the decree enables the exit of some sectors, that does not imply that tomorrow all the workers will be on the street.
And this was reiterated last night by President Duque himself, who said that tomorrow “only people who work in these sectors will be able to leave,” but as long as the companies they work for have the protocols defined and in order.
The Minister of Commerce declared that a large part of this process is in the hands of the mayors, who are the ones who must indicate the route and the procedure so that the companies comply with it and can resume their production process.
“The mayors will have to determine the procedures to comply with the biosafety protocols established by the Ministry of Health and avoid, especially in large cities, that the return of those productive sectors may collapse the transportation systems,” he said.
And this was reiterated last night by Duque when he stated that companies will be able to enter as their employers adapt these protocols and have a level of supervision by local authorities.
“We have the door, but the key is held by the mayors. The Government opens the door and the mayors have the key to gradualness ”, Restrepo insisted.
Likewise, the minister said that although the decree did not define what will happen to the municipalities where there is no coronavirus, he assured that any exception they wish to adopt must be defined with the Ministry of the Interior. “And there will be a conversation with the National Government to see how requests are allowed or not,” he said.
So the decree is clear by ordering the governors and mayors to adopt the necessary instructions, acts and orders for the proper execution of the mandatory preventive isolation measure.
In this sense, it is recalled that “for the purposes of achieving effective” preventive isolation “the free movement of people and vehicles in the national territory is totally limited”, obviously, with the 41 exceptions.
Other exceptions.
But also among the new excepted activities, those related to the operations of games of luck and chance stand out. The door is opening so that people can go out to buy a lottery or to play chance.
The evidence is established in the third article of the aforementioned decree, which states that the circulation of people will be allowed for “banking, financial and payment operators services, money exchange, games of luck and chance operations in the form of novelties. and territorial permanent bets, chance and lottery, and notary services and registration of public instruments “.
Companies will be able to enter as their employers adapt these protocols and have a level of supervision by local authorities.
According to Carlos Camargo, director of the National Federation of Departments, the resources from games of luck and chance are necessary for regional finances, especially because they are destined for the coffers of the health sector.
And given the need to decongest the mass transportation system and avoid contagion, the bicycle has been the protagonist. For this reason, the Government authorized the operation of factories, repair shops, maintenance and warehouses for the sale of spare parts and accessories for conventional and electric bicycles.
On the other hand, for this third stage of compulsory preventive isolation, physical activities will only be allowed outdoors (not in gyms) for people who are in the age ranges between 18 and 60 years, for a maximum period of an hour daily.
These may be carried out in accordance with the measures, instructions and schedules established by the mayors in their respective territorial jurisdictions. Although these may vary from one municipality to another, there are two key requirements: attending to biosafety protocols and the use of masks.
The exercise is individual, the practice of joint sports is prohibited, you can go to the parks to run, walk, jog, ride a bike or skate while keeping a minimum distance of five meters with other people who are doing physical exercise. This should be practiced maximum one kilometer from the place of residence.
Decree 593, issued on Friday, also allows the operation of public parking lots. Although the restriction for the use of the private car is maintained, with the corresponding exceptions.
10 key points of the decree
1 .. Decree 593 orders mandatory preventive isolation from next Monday until zero hours on May 11, 2020.
2. Domestic flights could be resumed after that date.
3. The operation of exchange houses, chance and lottery is enabled.
4. Family police stations and police inspections return to function.
5. The operation of factories, repair, maintenance and purchase and sale of bicycles and their parts is enabled.
6. The construction and manufacturing sectors restart activities. The latter includes the textile, leather and clothing subsectors; wood transformation; manufacture of paper, cardboard and its derived products, and manufacture of chemical, metal, electrical, machinery and equipment products. The trade of these products will be done through electronic commerce platforms or for home delivery.
7. Outdoor physical activity activities are allowed for people between 18 and 60 years old for 1 hour (maximum) per day.
8. Public parking spaces for vehicles may operate.
9. Persons related to the manufacturing and construction industries must be accredited or identified in the exercise of their functions.
10. The exceptional measures adopted by governors and mayors must be previously informed and coordinated with the Ministry of the Interior.
POLITICS
