With the addition of the Bahía de Banderas municipality to the Health Board, efforts against Covid-19 in this important metropolitan area are significantly strengthened.
Interim municipal president Jorge Antonio Quintero Alvarado thanked Mayor Jaime Cuevas Tello for the participation he will have from this date forward in this body, where joint proposals have already been defined to be able to get ahead of this pandemic and continue taking care of the health and well-being of citizens and visitors.
Quintero Alvarado affirmed that his guard has not been lowered and will not be lowered, therefore the Vallarta government will launch a campaign that will allow citizens to bring necessary information to them, so that they know how to act and receive care in time in case of presenting this disease. Often they come when they are in serious condition, which can lead to saturation of hospitals. The new alliance will also reinforce among the communities the measures dictated by the state government to cut the chain of infections.
These actions, he indicated, will be headed by the Directorate of Social Development and Citizen Participation, so that as of this Friday 20,000 printed copies will begin to be distributed in 260 neighborhoods, through the municipal coordinators, delegates, and agents. Monitoring of these activities will be maintained to know the results and their contribution to the prevention and reduction of cases.
Likewise, the installation of road filters surrounding Bahía de Banderas was proposed, monitoring the arrival of visitors, an issue that will be defined in collaboration with the Nayarit State Board of Health for its implementation.
The mayor of Vallarta pointed out that before the return to classes, announced for August 30, the educational establishments are already being sanitized. There will be an approach with those schools that are not in a position to start activities, to attend them together with the state government. In addition, protocols will be established. He also reported on the scheme for the delivery of backpacks and school supplies to about 52,000 students of basic education, to help support the economy of families in this pandemic.
The first mayor left open the invitation so that later on, the incoming authorities of both municipalities can join this Board of Health, since this is a job to which everyone must join as a team for Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas.
Quintero Alvarado also presented a summary of the actions that from August 5 to 11 were carried out by the different municipal agencies in terms of prevention, awareness and application of health protocols. He highlighted among these, the supervision tours to commercial establishments, carrying out 6 closings for not respecting the established capacity, consuming alcoholic beverages without food, and for opening to the public ignoring the decree of the state government. In addition was a closing warning act, the installation of filters, delivery of face masks, sanitation of public spaces, and recommendations to citizens.
The municipal president of Bahía de Banderas, Jaime Cuevas Tello, thanked the invitation to be part of this organization and share this effort jointly, in addition to making known some of the actions that have already been established in the neighboring municipality.
Regarding the behavior of the pandemic in Puerto Vallarta, the head of the VIII Sanitary Region, Jaime Álvarez Zayas, explained that until August 11 there were 15,887 positive cases, with a mortality rate of 37.6 per 100,000 inhabitants. He also stressed that although there was a significant increase in cases in July, in the last three weeks there has been a slowdown, that is, they continue to increase but at a slower pace; so if they continue like this, the decline could begin in a couple of weeks.
On the subject of vaccines, he specified that more than 200,000 doses have been applied in this municipality, and all age groups have received at least one immunization. People 50 years of age and older already have their complete schedule, and he anticipated that next Tuesday he would begin with the application of the second dose to those between 40 and 49 years old.
In her participation, the director of Beach Tourism of the Tourism Secretariat, Susana Rodríguez Mejía, announced the meetings they have held with the Carnival shipping company for the arrival of the first cruise scheduled on August 25, and the tests that will be carried out , establishing the protocol for the rest of the cruise ships that arrive at this port. He also referred to the state government program for the support of club and bar workers that is expected this Friday. The link for registration is being enabled, which will provide support of around 5,000 pesos to each worker.