Puerto Rico eliminates the mandatory use of masks and capacity limits

The Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi, eliminated this Monday the mandatory use of masks outdoors and indoors, with some exceptions, as well as capacity limits and vaccination evidence requirements.

The new executive order, which takes effect this Thursday, March 10, was signed due to the decrease in covid-19 cases on the island, where the positivity rate stands at 4.1% this Mondayaccording to data from the Department of Health.

Meanwhile, the total number of hospitalized is 65, and in the last 24 hours there has been one death from covid-19 and 78 cases of contagion confirmed with a PCR test.

“The statistics of covid-19 in terms of hospitalizations have dropped considerably and we can already say that our health system is not compromised, that the level of infections is controlled and our level of vaccination continues to be the best in the American nation”said the governor at a press conference.

Regarding the use of masks, Pierluisi clarified that their use is required in health facilities, such as hospitals, emergency rooms, doctor’s offices, health centers, clinics, laboratories and pharmacies.

This mandate is also maintained in long-term care homes for the elderly and the Department of Health may require its use in other places it deems necessary to avoid contagionsuch as schools or universities.

Implementation of measures according to consideration of operators

Likewise, each employer or public or private operator may implement sanitary measures at their discretion, including requiring the use of masks. The executive order also eliminates all capacity restrictions in public and private entitieswhich have been varying these months between 50 and 75% indoors.

Likewise, the requirement of evidence of vaccination or negative test to enter public and private establishments such as restaurants and community centers is eliminated.

However, each operator of such establishments, at its discretion, may implement the health measures that it considers correspond to its type of operationincluding checking to see if your customers have been vaccinated.

Meanwhile, any mass activity of more than 1,000 people carried out in theaters, amphitheaters, stadiums, coliseums and convention centers, whether indoors or outdoors, must comply with the protocol issued by the Department of Health.

Finally, the executive orders on vaccination mandates for certain professional sectors are without effect and it will be the Department of Health that will establish guidelines through an administrative order.

The Secretary of Health, Carlos Mellado, stressed that “Today, nine out of ten people are vaccinated, more than half of the eligible population already has a booster dose and 70% of children are vaccinated”. (I)