After COVID -19 incidence decreased and no deaths occurred for five weeks, the Mexican state of Quintana Roo decided to withdraw the mask mandate.
Governor Carlos Joaquin said Tuesday that masks are no longer required in the Caribbean coast state, which includes major tourist destinations such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Cozumel.
In a video message, the governor said the average daily number of new cases has remained below 20 over the past five weeks.
The governor advised people with health problems to continue wearing masks. He added that wearing a mask on public transportation and in enclosed spaces where there is little ventilation is still a good idea.
Joaquin also pointed out that the mask requirement could be reintroduced if the situation worsens.
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“Remember, [the use of] face masks is a personal responsibility. Use one if you believe you could be exposed… to the virus,” he said.
Several other Mexican states, including Baja California Sur, Baja California, Mexico City, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo León, have repealed the mask mandate.
Mexico has never fully implemented or enforced any of the Covid19 measures.
The country was quick to open its doors without asking questions or requiring testing, while European capitals required Covid-19 passes and PCR testing and the United States largely banned travelers from dozens of nations.
According to officials, tourism is such an important economic driver that Mexico cannot afford to restrict entry.
It has been a “part” blessing for those who have to serve tables, clean toilets, and drive busses or cabs for all the visitors since large beach resorts have repeatedly been hit by coronavirus outbreaks believed to have been brought in by tourists.
Meanwhile, another threat is approaching Mexican beaches: federal officials anticipate the arrival of 32 thousand tons of sargassum seaweed, a troubling statistic, according to Admiral Rafel Ojeda, the Secretary of the Mexican Navy (Semar).
Authorities are prepared for the largest amount of sargassum seen on Cancun beaches since 2018, according to Ojeda, who recently termed the issue “alarming.”