The President defines the extension of the “targeted” quarantine until May 10

After a day of long deliberations with his closest officials, Alberto Fernández is finalizing in Olivos the details of the extension of social, preventive and compulsory isolation that will be extended until May 10 with differences between the interior of the country and the metropolitan area.

According to this morning’s report, that area concentrated almost 60% of the positive cases of COVID-19 in the entire country, with a considerable rise in the last week.

Minutes after 6:30 in the afternoon, Minister Ginés González García entered the fifth presidential term. Inside, the President, the Chief of Staff, Santiago Cafiero, and Secretaries Julio Vitobello, Gustavo Béliz, Vilma Ibarra and Juan Pablo Biondi analyzed the latest details of the announcement of the extension of the quarantine that was delayed until the late afternoon and whose format was not yet defined.

It should be noted that President Fernández held a video conference on Friday afternoon with the governors and the head of the Buenos Aires Government, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, in a step prior to the announcement of a new phase of the social, preventive and compulsory isolation that expires on Sunday and whose extension will now be until May 10.

This meeting was a step prior to the announcement on Saturday of a new phase of the social, preventive and compulsory isolation that expires on Sunday and that would give way to a “focused” quarantine phase with the release of some productive activities in certain provinces.

The President was accompanied at the Olivos Residence by the Buenosairean Governor Axel Kicillof and by some of his collaborators, such as the Chief of Staff, Santiago Cafiero, and the Ministers of Health, Ginés González García and of the Interior, Eduardo ‘Wado’ De Pedro , in addition to the Secretary General of the Presidency, Julio Vitobello.

Targeted quarantine

The “focused” quarantine began this Friday with the publication in the Official Gazette of several resolutions that make official the resumption of a series of activities, such as construction works in the private sphere and that of the “liberal professions” in some provinces.

The provisions, signed by the Chief of Cabinet and the Minister of Health, were announced within the framework of the so-called “managed” quarantine, through which the national government has authorized the resumption of certain activities and services in the districts that they have low circulation of the virus, after verification by the health authorities and with strict compliance with protocols

For his part, the head of the Buenos Aires Government has not yet proposed modifications to the isolation, which began on March 20, and, in the case of Kicillof, only analyzes raising some activities in rural populations in the interior of the province of Buenos Aires, although the restrictions will remain strict in the Buenos Aires suburbs.

The isolation began on March 20 and has already had two extensions – on March 31 and April 12 -, while it is expected that after today’s meeting the government announces the steps to be followed regarding the continuation of the measure, after the president met yesterday with the committee of experts and scientists and officials of his Cabinet.

Partial opening of activities

Starting next Monday, some activities will be launched in ten provinces that were authorized by the national government, in the context of mandatory isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

So, construction works in the private sphere will resume their course in Santa Cruz, Neuquén, La Pampa, Mendoza, San Juan, Entre Ríos, Misiones, Salta and Jujuy; while the registered professionals will return to the activity in Neuquén, Entre Ríos, San Juan, Misiones, Salta and Jujuy, in addition to some medical services in Tucumán.

“In La Pampa it is a relief for workers, who belong to a social sector that is going through a very vulnerable situation, especially in these times, many of whom live day to day without depending on the State; and for companies it is a measure that gives respite “, declared the secretary general of the Uocra, the justicialista provincial deputy Roberto Robledo.

The authorization of the Nation arrived this week, hours after a meeting between Governor Sergio Ziliotto with representatives of the Construction Chamber and with the provincial deputy Robledo to agree on a protocol that governs the operation of the activity in the framework of the epidemic. of coronavirus.

Also in Jujuy, the head of the Union of Entrepreneurs of the province, Luis Alonso, appreciated that the reactivation of some activities will ease the crisis situation, especially in SMEs, given the fact that in the province a “17, 7 percent of companies are considering closing, “according to a survey conducted by the entity that presides.

Alonso stressed that “Jujuy is being a pioneer in the country in the reopening of shops in different areas”, thanks to the joint assembly of protocols for the reopening of activities with strict biosecurity standards, such as shops, which can open their doors and attend the public from Monday to Saturday until 19; and the gastronomic one, “with reduced income capacities and biosafety standards”.

In Neuquén, lawyers are some of the professionals who can resume their activities as of Monday and the president of the Bar Association of the province, Marcelo Iñiquez, reported that they are working “on a protocol with scope for advice, care and management before the judicial power”.

Iñiquez explained that “in professional studies they will work with digital media and, if any judicial presentation is necessary,” they will do it “with previous shifts, using masks and maintaining social distance.”

Thus, starting Monday, 2,600 lawyers registered in the province will open their studies, 1,900 of whom are concentrated in the provincial capital.

Regarding the resumption of private construction works in the city of Neuquén, it will be the Emergency Committee that will control compliance with the action protocol.

Sources from the local delegation of the Argentine Chamber of Construction estimate that in the entire province there will be 14,000 workers who will resume their work from next Monday.

In Tucumán, activities have already resumed through shifts and minimum guards, the service and tax collection sectors, the provincial and municipal revenue offices and registry activities, and retail stores may also do so, with home delivery only.

Likewise, medical and dental care centers, analysis laboratories and opticians may operate.

Finally, the experts and liquidators of the insurance companies, the attention centers for victims of gender violence and some particular industrial sectors of export production may also work.

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