December 17, 2020

The Mexican Federal Government signed an agreement with Pfizer and AstraZeneca to produce and distribute 34.4 million and 77.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, respectively. While federal authorities continue to hold conversations with other pharmaceuticals to secure additional doses, the Secretariat of Health shared an overview of their distribution plan to be delivered in 5 phases:

• Phase 1 (December 2020-February 2021): Healthcare workers at the front line and/or attending to COVID-19 patients.
• Phase 2 (February-April 2021): Remaining healthcare workers and individuals over 60 years old.
• Phase 3 (April-June 2021): Individuals between ages 50-59.
• Phase 4 (May-June 2021): Individuals between ages 40-49.
• Phase 5 (June 2021-March 2022): Remaining population.

In Baja, the State Government implemented increased restrictions and precautionary measures in light of the rising number of new COVID-19 cases across the state. Notable changes include:

• Suspension of a list of non-essential activities considered to be high-risk including gyms, bars, nightclubs, public pools, recreational centers, and places of worship.
• Restaurants, museums, and theaters may operate at up to a 30% capacity.
• Hotels and retailers may operate at up to a 25% capacity with no access to common areas.
• Supermarkets may operate at up to a 50% capacity, providing access to only one person per family (with exception of minors accompanied by an adult).
• Hair salons may operate at up to a 15% capacity and by appointment only.
• Sports events may take place with no audience present.
• Mass events and large gatherings remain prohibited until further notice.
• In anticipation of the holiday season, state and municipal authorities launched media campaigns to reinforce recommended precautions and ask residents to avoid family gatherings of multiple households.

The Chamber is proud to join Mexico’s Confederation of the National Chambers of Commerce (CONCANACO) and our partners south of the border in support of their new campaign urging the business community to wear a mask and comply with health protocols to help stop the spread of COVID-19. CONCANACO issued posters and graphics (available here) for businesses, which show the proper use of face coverings and other precautionary measures to follow at the workplace.

INDEX Zona Costa, working closely with Baja’s Secretariat of Sustainable Economy and Tourism, has scheduled a partial suspension of operations for the manufacturing industry from December 23, 2020 to January 4, 2021 in an effort to reduce mobility across the state and reduce the risk of exposure. Nearly 200 manufacturers employing 70,000 employees have joined this initiative to reduce activities and partially freeze the sector for at least 11 days in hopes of reducing the number of new COVID-19 cases. Smaller businesses are encouraged to follow the lead by suspending operations for as many days as possible during this period.