Government maintains restrictive measures until February 22

Today through decree number 61-21, President Luis Abinader ordered the extension of all current measures to combat Covid-19 and that are part of the state of emergency declared in the country by the pandemic,

The Executive Power decree maintains all social distancing measures and curfew hours from Tuesday 9 to Monday 22 of February and indicates that the authorities will review the steps in due course.

Remember that the measures in Decree 37-21 establish that the curfew hours in the national territory from Monday to Friday are from 7:00 at night to 5:00 in the morning, while Saturdays and Sundays it is from 5:00 in the afternoon until 5:00 in the morning.

The decree of President Luis Abinader has a grace of free circulation, of 3 additional hours every day, so that people can go to their respective residences.

It specifies that free transit from Monday to Friday is until 10:00 at night, while on Saturdays and Sundays, it is until 8:00 at night.

It highlights that the measures are part of the strategy prepared by the World Health Organization (WHO) to guide the state response during the COVID-19 pandemic, which establishes that countries with community transmission, such as the Dominican Republic, must adopt measures of physical distancing and movement restrictions that reduce contact between people to reduce mortality and the contagion curve of the disease, as well as to relieve some of the pressure on health care services.

Social distancing 

The decree reiterates what is contained in chapter IV of order 37-21, including all health measures. It is confirmed that in the national territory, masks’ use is mandatory in public and private places of public use.

Also, it indicates that it is mandatory to comply with the other measures and protocols of social distancing adopted by the corresponding authorities and remember that non-compliance will be sanctioned with the provisions established by the Health Law, number 42-01.

Massive activities and events that involve crowding of people are also prohibited.

It communicates that working hours in the public sector are until 3:00 in the afternoon and that 40% of the workforce of public employees is not essential for the State’s activity and will continue their work through teleworking.

Regulation of spaces for public use

The decree also reiterates that people can use open spaces in the open air, such as parks and boardwalks, for activities that do not involve crowds and in strict compliance with the sanitary protocols established by the health authorities.

It establishes that places dedicated to sports and physical exercise, such as gyms, can receive clients and operate in their facilities only up to 60% of their total capacity.

Similarly, food and beverage consumption places can receive customers in their facilities up to 60% of their total capacity, in strict compliance with current sanitary protocols and without exceeding six people per table in the places that apply.

Regarding religious activities, the decree recalls that the activities of different churches and other religious denominations can be held three times a week, in strict compliance with current sanitary protocols and without exceeding 60% of their facilities’ total capacity.

The tourism sector will continue to operate under the sector protocol established by the health authorities.

Exceptions during curfew

It is also reiterated that only people dedicated to health services and citizens with an emergency will be allowed to go to a health center or pharmacy during curfew hours.

The personnel dedicated to security work, duly identified, members of the press or accredited media, and the providers of energy, water, telecommunications, and garbage collection services, during the exercise of their functions and correctly identified.

Also, vehicle operators are dedicated to the distribution of merchandise, supplies, and fuels and people who work in the industry, the food trade, medical products, and pharmaceuticals, as long as they have authorization from the High-Level Commission for Prevention and Coronavirus Control.

Likewise, employees or contractors of businesses that provide home delivery will have permission to circulate until 11:00 at night, exclusively in the exercise of their functions, international passengers, and the people who transfer them, duly identified in transit to or from ports and airports.

Finally, the employees of companies that provide funeral services, in the exercise of their functions, the personnel and contractors of the hotel, mining and free zones sectors, during the exercise of their operations, as well as the employees of the Office for Reorganization of the Transit (OPRET) and the Metropolitan Office of Bus Services (OMSA), after the completion of their work, identified and they go to their residences.