Ecuador eliminates the mandatory use of masks in open and closed spaces

The authorities Ecuadorian announced this Thursday the end of the requirement to wear masks throughout the country, more than two years after this regulation was implemented with the start of the covid-19 pandemic.

“I am pleased to announce that, as of today, the use of the mask will no longer be mandatory in Ecuador,” said the Ecuadorian president, Guillermo Lasso, in an appearance together with members of the National Emergency Operations Committee (COE), an entity in charge of evaluating and managing the epidemiological situation.

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The decision will govern as of this Thursday for both open and closed spaces, for which the president took off the mask to stage the end of this obligation, which was in force since April 6, 2020, the authorities ordered its mandatory use in all Ecuador.

Lasso justified the decision adopted by the authorities in the massive vaccination coverage of the Ecuadorian population and the low rates of hospitalizations for covid-19 in the country.

“Our successful vaccination plan has allowed that now 5 out of 100 tests of covid-19 are positive, it is a clear sign that we have practically defeated the covid-19″, he referred.

The Head of State recalled that, thanks to a joint effort by different institutions and society in general, it has been possible to cover “with two doses of vaccines to 87% of the population over 3 years”.

“We are close to 5 and a half million compatriots immunized with booster doses and progressing from the fourth dose”Held.

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso today offers statements to the press together with his Government Cabinet, in Quito (Ecuador). (EFE/José Jácome/)

1,000 MILLION DOLLARS IN VACCINES

The head of the Ecuadorian Government assured that the program for the purchase of vaccines againstcovid-19 it has cost 1,000 million dollars, despite the 7% deficit of the state budget when he took power 11 months ago.

In parallel, Lasso thanked international cooperation, especially from countries like China, whose vaccines represented 52% of the doses administered in the country, both sold “at very convenient prices and others donated”.

He also referred to the United States for the donation of vaccines “in the most difficult moments” and the help offered by Spain, Canada, Argentina, Germany, Mexico and Chile.

The last part of the Ministry of Public Health, with a cut-off date of April 27, collects 869,124 reported cases of covid-19 since February 29, 2020, when the first positive was detected in the country, a figure that represents a daily increase of 157 positives.

Those who died from the disease rise to 35,588, between confirmed and probable, according to official statistics.

After announcing the decision, the president especially thanked the work carried out by the Minister of Public Health, Ximena Garzón, and assured that “Ecuador has been one of the first countries in the world to vaccinate the majority of its population, which has been recognized and applauded worldwide.”

ONLY ONE DEATH IN THE LAST WEEK

The head of Health said that the epidemiological curves are downward and currently stand at 0.09%, when in week 46 of the pandemic they reached 1.41%, which she attributed to the success of mass vaccination of the population.

“We have practically no patients covid-19 in hospitalization or in intensive care, the previous week a person died of covid-19 throughout the country ”, detailed.

The decision announced in Ecuador joins similar measures adopted in other countries in the region that have decided to relax the use of mask both in open and closed spaces.

Peru and Colombia resolved last week to lift the mandatory use of masks in public places, as did Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Costa Rica.

In Europe, countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Ireland, Hungary, Romania, Luxembourg, Croatia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Austria or Lithuania have also been raising restrictions imposed by the pandemic and eliminated the mandatory use of mask indoor.

Source: Elcomercio