The new enforcement measures to curb COVID-19 transmission in Dominican Republic

After the Minister of the Presidency and President of the High-Level Commission for the Prevention and Control of Coronavirus, Gustavo Montalvo, report on Tuesday that the country is still not in a position to go to Phase III of the economic and labor de-escalation that it is executing. The Government announced that they will strengthen measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

He said that the new provisions include greater vigilance to ensure compliance with the curfew, as well as the sanction of people who walk in public without using masks.

Regarding health, he indicated that epidemiological follow-up work and community interventions will be intensified where there are more cases, especially in Greater Santo Domingo, where they will carry out more tests to detect the virus and more isolations of positive cases.

“In this sense, I announce that starting tomorrow, Wednesday, specific operations will be carried out in 8 health areas in Greater Santo Domingo and the National District. These interventions will include home visits to review symptoms, perform tests, distribute masks, hygiene kits, and deliver medications or transfer to hospitals if necessary,” he said.

Montalvo added that they have coordinated with different municipalities and the CAASD a vector disinfection and control day, in order to avoid coinfections of the disease with other complications such as dengue.

For this, more than 50 doctors will be included in operating units, dozens of nurses, health promoters, among other professionals, he stressed.

Montalvo also mentioned that they have coordinated with the Ministry of Labor, Consumer Affairs, and law enforcement officials to intensify inspection operations in companies to ensure that they comply with general and sectoral protocol, especially regarding the percentage of workers, taking temperature, hygiene measures, among others.

“In the case of those that do not comply, the instruction is to proceed to the closure of the premises and the imposition of fines,” he emphasized.

Montalvo said that by postponing the entry of Phase III, they are not “backtracking, but they are keeping the necessary measures in place until we can take a new step forward.”