Public Health Minister Plutarco Arias said that the health cabinet is meeting on Tuesday, 1 December 2020 to review actions to be taken now that Covid-19 cases are on the rise. Despite the generalized use of masks, it is clear people in the Dominican Republic have let down their guard and activities are almost back to normal.
Dr. Arias said the government is assessing measures to be implemented from 1 to 20 December. The idea is to act now to prevent the continued increase in the positivity rate. He said if stricter measures are not enforced now, Dominicans may have to forget about the government relaxing measures in time for the Christmas and New Year festivities.
“The health cabinet will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, and it will define what we are going to do, so for the moment, I don’t have an answer,” he told the press. He added: “However if they [the people] continue to act up there will be no possibility of relaxing the measures,” said the health minister.
Plutarco Arias confirmed a slight increase in coronavirus cases in the last week, a situation that he attributed to the bad behavior of the population. By this he means people are doing what they usually do, gathering in crowds for drinks with friends. Lots of partying is also happening after curfew, taxing the capacity of the police.
“The population is behaving quite badly. Here there is a party in every courtyard. Here there is a party every Saturday and Sunday in different places. And that, of course, has brought about the slight increase in the positivity from 12 to 14.96%, he said.
Arias spoke when participating in the launch “Safe Christmas”, with civilian, military and relief agencies’ participation. The official made a call to the Dominican population to comply with the authorities’ measures to maintain physical distance and the use of masks.
He criticized the partying observed at the Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration in his hometown of Santiago and even in rural communities as people get into Christmas holiday partying mood.
On the positive side, Dr. Arias observed that the country’s fatality rate continues to decline. Dr. Arias said it is very low and is among the most controlled of all nations. As of Covid-19 Bulletin #256 with the deadline of 29 November 2020, the fatality per 1M was at 1.62.
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El Caribe
30 November 2020