Jalisco will take the first step to restart its economy Monday, May 18, permitting scores of previously “non-essential” businesses to reopen, just as long as they observe strict hygiene guidelines, which include cleanliness, social distancing and the obligatory use of face masks.
The plans laid out by Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro differ from those announced by the federal government earlier in the week (see story page 5). President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says this is not a problem and that state governors are free to follow their own timetables.
Alfaro spent a large part of Thursday, May 14, on social media explaining his strategy to his constituents. However, he was dealt a unexpected punch late in the day when experts from the University of Guadalajara Covid-19 Situation Health Room issued a bulletin urging him to reconsider his plans, and maintain the current lockdown in place until June 1. This leaves Alfaro in a predicament, since he has relied heavily on the UdG team for scientific guidance on how to manage the pandemic in the state. As of press time, the governor had not issued a response to the university’s observations.
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