Twelve months after Central America began a health and economic crisis triggered by the covid-19 outbreak, Guatemala was the fastest recovering economy and Panamanian economic activity is the slowest to return to pre-pandemic levels.
In March 2020, the first cases of covid-19 began to be detected in the countries of the region. The highly contagious disease, which at that time had already claimed the lives of thousands of people around the world, forced Central American governments to establish mobility restrictions.
After the Costa Rican government announced that they are evaluating the option of lifting as of March the sanitary measure that restricts the free circulation of vehicles on weekends, the trade union of the commercial sector considers that this would be a great relief for the economy.
On Sunday night, the government informed that it is analyzing the elimination of the traffic restriction applied on weekends.
In order to overcome the trade conflict resulting from the blocking of the entry of animal products from Costa Rica into the Panamanian market, both nations have started a dialogue.
The trade conflict between the two countries began in July 2020, when Panama informed the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), an agency of the Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), of the decision not to extend export authorization to a list of previously authorized Costa Rican establishments that have been trading in the Panamanian market for many years.
Arguing that the number of covid-19 cases decreased in recent days, the authorities decided that as of February 5, 2021, supermarkets, convenience stores, neighborhood stores, shopping centers and plazas, will be able to operate on a regular basis.
According to Ministerial Agreement 08-2021 of the Ministry of Public Health, as of January 26, shopping centers and plazas, supermarkets, convenience stores and neighborhood stores, could develop their activities until 7:00 pm.
Following the announcement of the restrictions imposed in Guatemala to mitigate the outbreak of covid-19, which contemplate the closing of restaurants after 9:00 pm, businessmen anticipate that sales will fall and that they will have to reduce the number of personnel hired.
Given that the table area of restaurants and tourist sites are closed to the public in Panama due to the outbreak of covid-19, the business sector is asking the authorities to reconsider their reopening.
In order to mitigate the spread of covid-19, as of January 26, shopping centers and malls, supermarkets, convenience stores and neighborhood stores, will be allowed to carry out their activities until 7:00 pm.
The January 26 edition of the Diario de Centroamerica published the Ministerial Agreement 08-2021 of the Ministry of Public Health, which details the restrictions imposed, which aim to mitigate the escalation of the number of cases of covid-19.
After restrictions were imposed on people's mobility during the holiday season to stop the spread of covid-19, Panamanian authorities reported that as of January 14 there will be a return to the process of "gradual and asymmetric reopening.
In a press conference, the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre, informed that due to the fact that a balance was achieved in the incidence of covid-19 cases, it was decided to lift the quarantine that had been in place since the beginning of the year and as of January 14 the curfew for the entire country will be from 9:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m. the following day.
In order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in the country, from January 10 to 17, a curfew will be applied between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. the following day, and children will also be prevented from entering stores.
The exception in the circulation in not allowed schedules is subject to institutions described in the current PCM, transport of heavy load and person with safe-conduct authorized by the Secretary of Security, details an official document.
In order to control the spread of covid-19, from December 18 to January 4 there will be a national curfew and dry law, from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following day.
A total quarantine will also be established from Friday, December 25 at 7pm until Monday, December 28 at 5am and from Friday, January 1 at 7pm until Monday, January 4 at 5am.
Although the end of the year holidays is a threat to Central America for a second wave of covid-19 infections, it is expected that total closures will not be decreed since there are currently effective health control options, and less costly for the economy.
When the first cases of covid-19 were reported in the region in March 2020, most governments decided to paralyze a large part of productive activities and decree home quarantines. These actions focused on containing the advance of the virus caused a severe economic crisis in all countries.
In Guatemala, the Giammattei administration decided not to request an extension of the State of Calamity and as of October 1, cinemas, pubs, parks, swimming pools will be reopened and events, fairs and concerts will also be allowed, even if the place is on red alert.
Once Panama blocked the entry of animal products from Costa Rica, discussions at the technical level progressed, but when the issue was brought to the political arena, the process to solve the trade conflict stalled.
In early July of this year, Panama informed the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), an agency of the Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), about the decision not to extend the authorization for export to a list of Costa Rican establishments previously authorized and that have been commercializing in the Panamanian market for many years.
The Panamanian Ministry of Health decreed that as of September 14 the measure restricting mobility by gender will be lifted and it also relaxed the curfew, which will now start at 11 p.m. and end at 5 a.m. the next day.
The restrictions on the mobility of Panamanian consumers have been in place for almost six months, since the curfew was introduced on March 18, a measure by which the government has tried to stop the advance of the covid-19.
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