These are the new resolutions issued by the National COE this February 17, 2022

This Thursday, the National Emergency Operations Committee (COE) made several decisions according to the epidemiological situation facing the country in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, pointed out that the number of people infected with the disease has been falling in recent weeks. In fifteen days there has been a 50% decrease in confirmed cases and a similar percentage in the case of deceased.

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According to Garzón, vaccination was a determining factor for the situation. “The occupancy percentage has dropped in recent days and at the same time the incidence of confirmed cases in the country,” he said.

Given the health situation, the National COE made the following resolutions:

biosecurity measures

• Use of a mask in closed spaces, public transport and open spaces.
• Presentation of vaccination certificate with QR code or card for entry to non-essential activities and transportation.
• Maintain ventilated spaces and facilitate physical distancing.
• Frequent hand washing or use of alcohol gel.
• Biosafety protocol and capacity of the Ministry of Education and SENESCYT for educational establishments, respectively.
• Face-to-face work maintaining biosecurity measures and vaccination certificate in public and private entities.
• The obligation to measure body temperature prior to admission to places of attention to the public is eliminated.

Capacity and public spaces

• 80% capacity in essential activities: (markets, financial entities, public services).
• 80% internal capacity and 100% external capacity in non-essential activities: restaurants, cinemas, circuses and theaters (without the sale and consumption of food and beverages), gyms and spas.
• 60% internal capacity and 75% outdoors in non-essential activities such as: bars, karaoke bars, nightclubs, tolerance centers, and the like.
• 100% capacity outdoor activities: beaches, parks and open spaces.
• Mass activities, subject to COE recommendation: stadiums 60%, concerts in open spaces 75%
• Public transport all seated.
• Urge the Autonomous Decentralized Municipal Governments of Ecuador, based on their powers, to issue the corresponding regulations in order to comply with public health measures in accordance with the capacity guidelines for attention to the activities that take place as of Monday, March 21. February at 00:01.
• Order MTT6 and MTT2 to reform the “Guide and General Plan for the Progressive and Safe Return to On-site Work Activities No. MTT6-003, Version 7.0″ approved by MTT6, so that throughout the public sector face-to-face work is resumed with 100% capacity.

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Education

• The Ministry of Education will continue with the approval of new institutional plans for educational continuity (PICE).
• In the Costa-Galapagos regime, until the end of the 2021-2022 school year, face-to-face student attendance will be carried out voluntarily with a maximum capacity of 2.25m2 per person in all grades and courses. Institutions may divide students into groups or differentiated schedules. When a grade or course has exceeded 85% of its students vaccinated with two doses, the educational institution may, in agreement with the families, have face-to-face attendance of all students in that grade or course.
• In the Sierra-Amazonía regime, the new institutional plans for educational continuity (PICE) will be approved until February 2022. All students at all educational levels will attend in person, respecting the use of the mask, washing and disinfection of hands. Only students of initial education, elementary school and middle school in urban areas, will voluntarily attend the presence in maximum capacity of 2.25m2 per person until Friday, March 11; As of Monday, March 14, all the institutions of the regime will welcome the face-to-face attendance of all students.
• It will be determined when it is pertinent to implement contingency plans in selected educational institutions.
• Have a 100% capacity in higher education institutions in accordance with the biosecurity measures established in the Public Policy for the Safe Return to Higher Education of the Senescyt, from February 21, 2022 at 00:01.

border reopening

• Immediate opening of the “Huaquillas” and “Macará” border crossings, for the entry and exit of vehicles of all modes of transport, as well as pedestrian flows, complying with all biosecurity measures and entry requirements established by the authority national health.
• The authorized timetable for border crossing will be 24 hours a day for the transport of merchandise and from 08:00 to 17:00 for the rest of transport and pedestrian flows.
• The evaluation of the impacts generated by these resolutions will be carried out 30 days after the start of their application.
• The provision will take effect from Friday, February 18, 2022 at 09:00.

sports

• A suggested capacity of 60% was available for the match between Barcelona Sporting Club and Universitario de Perú for Copa Libertadores to take place on February 23, 2022. (I)