Influential figures are calling for an extension to the current range of restrictions designed to contain the spread of Covid-19 infections in Jalisco, which are due to be lifted after Sunday, January 31.
University of Guadalajara (UdeG) Rector Ricardo Villanueva said this week that a “third emergency button could be applied because we are in a very critical stage of the pandemic.”
The measures introduced over the past fortnight have included banning social and cultural gatherings, and the closure of bars, gyms, movie theaters, parks and other activities. In addition, people over age 60 have been prohibited from entering supermarkets and convenience stores, which are also only supposed to permit one person to enter at a time.
Villanueva pointed out that there has been no noticeable decrease in the rate of confirmed Covid cases, hospitalizations and fatalities that warrant lifting the current restrictions.
As of press time, Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro had not commented about a possible extension to the measures, but the likelihood should not be ruled out given his history of making sudden decisions and u-turns over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. He has also relied heavily on scientific data provided by experts at the University of Guadalajara, some of whom serve on his emergency health and economic cabinets.