COVID-19 in CDMX: use of face coverings will be voluntary outdoors

The head of government of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, reported during a press conference that the use of face coverings due to COVID-19 in the country's capital will be for voluntary use.

“It is the lowest point of the pandemic, and even the recommendation is that it is not necessary to wear masks outside,” he said.

The president deepened that the numbers and indicators of cases will continue to be monitored on an ongoing basis.

For her part, Oliva López Arellano, head of the Ministry of Health in the capital, pointed out that this new measure will be voluntary and, despite this, the prevention measures that have been mentioned throughout the pandemic must continue to prevent the increase in COVID infections.

“The voluntary use of face masks is considered in open spaces without crowds and with a healthy distance,” he said.

This new provision does not eliminate the fact that masks must continue to be used indoors such as schools, offices, public transport, supermarkets, shopping centers, among others.

“It is recommended to maintain the use (of face masks) in older adults with immunosuppressive diseases with chronic pathology and suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19,” said López Arellano.

Regarding enclosed spaces, Claudia Sheinbaum pointed out that the use of the mask has never been compulsory, nor have any sanctions been imposed on it. But he added the importance of continuing to have the necessary preventive measures.

“We have never forced in an establishment, it has always been awareness, education and participation as it always is in Mexico City (...) the recommendation indoors is that it should continue to be used,” he said.

It should be recalled that in the latest technical report of the Ministry of Health (SSA), which was cut off on March 31, records 5,659,535 total infections and 323,016 deaths since the start of the health contingency in the country.

So far, there have been a total of 683,457 suspected cases and 9,227,345 negative cases since the pandemic began; while in active cases of COVID-19 throughout the country, there are an estimated 9,429 people.

This figure is captured according to citizens who started with symptoms of the disease in the past 14 days, so they are taken into account from March 18 to 31.

The last time such a low number of confirmed cases was recorded in a week was on the 15th of 2020, when only 5,013 infections were recorded in a week. Similarly, confirmed deaths are recorded, since in week 11 of 2022 there were 249 deaths recorded, the lowest figure since week 14 of 2020.

Also during the latest report by the Secretariat it was said that so far 36 million 077 thousand 847 people over the age of 18 have received their booster vaccine against COVID-19, of which 9,815,280 are older than 60 years old.

On the other hand, the group of people between 40 and 59 years old who already have their booster vaccine reaches 13,561,561; while another 12,701,006 people are between 18 and 39 years old.

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