Chihuahua.– For the first time since April 19, 2020, the use of face masks in closed spaces in the state will not be mandatory, after the State Health Council approved eliminating said measure, which will remain voluntary once it comes into force the corresponding agreement.
The State Government established the mandatory use of face masks for the first time in April 2020, almost at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the publication of agreement 064/2020, in the third article of which it indicated that the public, social and private had to implement, throughout the state territory and in a mandatory manner, the use of face masks, among other sanitary measures.
The provision was reinforced on November 14 of that same year, when the Law Regulating the Mandatory Use of Face Masks and Other Measures to Prevent the Transmission of the Covid-19 Disease was published, which indicated that this protection material should be carried by all people, whether on roads and public spaces or for common use, inside establishments, work centers, shopping centers and in passenger transport.
The measure was relaxed after on May 4 of this year the same Council approved withdrawing the forced use of face masks exclusively in open spaces. However, on July 14, it was decided to reverse the decision due to the increase in positive cases of coronavirus.
However, in the session held yesterday, the State Council considered that the use of this protection measure can no longer be imposed as an obligation, regardless of whether it is closed or open spaces, due to the significant reduction in infections and the availability of a treatment for the disease.
The Secretary of Health, Felipe Sandoval Magallanes, stated that in recent weeks there has been a considerable decrease in cases, in addition to the fact that there is already an authorized drug for the treatment of symptoms, called PaxLovid, of which the State has more than a thousand dose.
He pointed out that, once the agreement enters into force, people will no longer be required to wear face masks in closed spaces, including hospitals, schools, shops and public transport.
The official added that he also raised the possibility of reducing the isolation time from seven to five days, since the drug that is supplied to patients with Covid reduces the manifestation of symptoms, and it would only be necessary to rest to avoid spreading the virus.
He emphasized that it remains to be seen through Congress whether the Face Covering Law will be modified or repealed and in that sense he urged the community to put into practice what they have learned so far from the contingency, which adds up to 177 thousand 821 cases in the entity. accumulated since 2020; of these, 10 thousand 154 are deceased. Of the total, Ciudad Juárez corresponds to 61,841 of those infected and 4,678 of the fatalities.
“Remember that we have a Face Mask Law, that we have to wait to see if it is going to be modified or repealed. Until we have the answer from Congress as to whether the law is modified or repealed, we will be able to freely use the non-use of face masks. We leave it recommended, voluntary and responsible”, pointed out the server in charge of the unit. He asked not to relax, as he stressed that the pandemic is not over.
He added that there are already at least a thousand units of a specific drug for SARS-CoV-2, called PaxLovid, which helps mitigate the symptoms of the disease. He stated that thanks to vaccination against the coronavirus it has already been possible to achieve herd immunity, which will help ensure that the next waves, if they arise, are mostly from patients without serious clinical symptoms.