Ómicron: Ecuador postpones phases 2 and 3 of the return to face-to-face classes due to the appearance of the new variant

The president of the Emergency Operations Committee of Ecuador (COE), Juan Zapata, announced this Tuesday that the progressive return to face-to-face classes will be postponed due to the epidemiological situation and the appearance of the variant omicron, although it has not reached the Andean country.

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The schedule for returning to face-to-face classes has been modified for phases two and three, which included the return of students this December 6 and 7 and January 17.

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Zapata reported that students from the Costa region will finish the year virtually, while for the Sierra and Amazon it is expected to return to classrooms in person on February 7.

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The official urged citizens not to lower their guard because “the pandemic continues and that has motivated the COE to take these measures.”

On the other hand, he reported that the request for an increase in capacity for the football finals has been denied, so 50% of fans must comply with the respective biosecurity measures.

For his part, the Quito mayor, Santiago Guarderas, announced that they will analyze “the possibility of suspending some of the events that are scheduled for Quito parties” and the others will have a maximum capacity of 50%.

These will be carried out only in open spaces and will require the vaccination certificate or PCR test. The events will be broadcast on the social networks of the Municipality, said the mayor.

Although the omicron variant has not reached Ecuador, the authorities began to take preventive measures that include a maximum capacity of 50% in open or closed spaces and the prohibition of entry of people “whose point of origin, stopover or transit is South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Esauatini, Mozambique and Egypt ”.

For her part, the Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, pointed out that the start of the application of the booster doses for all those who have received the second dose of the vaccine six months ago, and not in January, as it was, is anticipated for tomorrow. provided.

At the moment, vulnerable people and older adults receive the reinforcement.

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