Nearly all of Mexico’s central and northern states have been
directed by the federal government to limit the number of people
on-site for business and social activities to half their normal
capacity in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to
the government’s latest pandemic tracking system update.
Limiting on-site activities to 50 percent of normal capacity is
one of several measures the government recommends when states are
designated at orange status under the nation’s four-tiered
COVID-19 traffic light monitoring system, which was introduced in June 2020. The government uses
the biweekly system—updated currently through the 111th week
since its implementation—to alert residents to the
epidemiological risks of COVID-19 and provide guidance on
restrictions on certain activities in each of Mexico’s states.
The federal Ministry of Health’s “Guidelines for Risk Estimation of the COVID-19
Traffic Light by Region” explains the procedures to be
followed by local governments and the federal government to
determine traffic light statuses.
Baja
California Sur, the only state in northern Mexico that is not
in orange status, is in yellow status. The government recommends
that states in yellow status—a total of thirteen states in
the current report—limit on-site business and social capacity
to 75 percent of normal capacity, among other recommended measures
to curb the spread of the pandemic.
Only four states—Campeche, Chiapas, Tlaxcala,
and Veracruz—are in green status, down from
twelve in the report for January 24–February 6, 2022.
States may operate business and social activities without
restrictions upon reaching green status. However, wearing face
masks is recommended in closed public spaces and is mandatory on
public transportation.
State governments may increase or decrease restrictions on
certain activities. For example, in Aguascalientes, which is in orange status, the
head of the state education ministry announced that in-person
classes would resume on February 14, 2022, although remote learning
options will continue to be provided for students whose parents
decide to keep them at home. Aguascalientes was the only state in
red status—the strictest status—in the previous report.
No states are in red status in the current report.
Below is a map for the period of February 7–20, 2022,
indicating the COVID-19 risk level in each of the states and the
capital.
This chart presents the traffic light status
of each state, and, as applicable, variations between federal and
local traffic light statuses based on publications of the Ministry
of Health and status reports provided by each state.
Pandemic Key Indicators and Vaccination Rates
Mexico is in the fifth and final stage of vaccinating the
population, with 64
percent vaccinated during this stage as of February 10. The
government initiated the fifth stage in July 2021 and is aiming to
complete it next month.
In its February 15, 2022, “Daily Technical Report,” the Ministry of
Health stated that there have been 5,321,744 confirmed cases since
the start of the pandemic in Mexico, with 140,530 confirmed cases
added over the two-week period of February 1–14, 2022. The
government has also reported that there have been 313,608 total
deaths due to COVID-19 nationwide. However, the number of deaths
associated with COVID-19 could be significantly higher than the
confirmed number, when factoring in “excess deaths“—i.e., the number of
deaths that exceeds what would be expected if not for the
pandemic.
In addition to sending data to the federal government, state
governments have also been issuing regular updates for the
public. Morelos, for example, stated on February 9,
2022, that to date 61,091 people in the state had been confirmed to
have contracted COVID-19, and 10 percent of them had died. The
state’s Ministry of Health emphasized the toll on healthcare
professionals, pointing out that the virus had claimed the lives of
forty doctors, thirteen nurses, and eighteen other healthcare
workers.
Mexico City Remains in Yellow Status
Mexico City will remain in yellow status through February 20,
2022, the Mexico City government announced. Mexico City, in whose
metropolitan area about a fifth of the country resides, entered
yellow status on January 21, 2022, after having operated in green
status since early November 2021. Government officials
stated that no economic activities would be closed due to the
change in status, but they urged the population to continue
complying with public health measures and practices, such as mask
wearing and social distancing.
Finally, the Administrative Verification Institute, along with
other Mexico City government authorities, will continue to visit
businesses to verify compliance with general and specific sanitary
measures for the protection of health in the workplace. The
authorities may levy fines against employers found to be out of
compliance with the health and safety measures. Noncompliant
employers may be subject to the total or partial temporary
suspension of work centers for up to fifteen calendar days.
Noncompliant employers may also be subject to other applicable
sanctions.
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