The Mexican Ministry of Health has published its three-stage strategy for reopening the economy and other activities. This article sets out details.
In the morning edition of the Official Gazette of 14 May 2020, the Ministry of Health issued a resolution to establish the strategy for the reopening social, education and economic activities in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as a regional process to assess the epidemiological risk in each state based on a coloured 'traffic light" system'. This will remain in effect until the day the sanitary emergency is declared terminated.
The reopening of social, education and economic activities suspended as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic under (by resolutions published in the Federation's Official Gazette on 31 March and April 6 2020) will be based on a three-stage strategy.
The first phase started on 18 May and consists of the unrestricted reopening of economic activities in municipalities without confirmed cases of Covid-19 that are not situated next to municipalities with cases of infection.
The second stage will be from 19 May to 31 May, and will consist of carrying out actions aimed at reopening economic activities through the preparation of a sanitary safety protocol, training of employees, reconfiguration of workspaces and introduction of access controls to establishments as provided in the safety and hygiene guidelines published by the Ministry of Health, in coordination with the Ministries of Labor and Economy and the Mexican Institute of Social Health.
The last stage will start on 1 June 2020. During this stage social, education and economic activities in the rest of the country will restart based on the 'traffic light' system below by region, assessed on a weekly basis.
Additionally, the list of essential activities included in the 31 March 2020 resolution has been expanded to include mining, construction and manufacturing in the transportation industry (i.e. the automotive and auto-parts sectors).
In order for these newly designated essential activities to start operations, the safety protocol referred to in the second phase of the strategy must be filed for approval and a questionnaire, the 'Self-evaluation of the Sanitary Safety Protocol' must be completed through this web page www.gob.mx/nuevanormalidad. Guidelines to prepare the safety protocol can be consulted here.
An online application must be made for each plant or location of each company or group and general identification data requested must be completed for each location. A letter of commitment must also be completed online.
The Mexican Institute of Social Security will be responsible for issuing the result of the registration within the following 72 hours.
Companies will receive notification from the Mexican Institute of Social Security regarding approval, requests for additional information or denial of the sanitary security protocol via email in order to ascertain if they can initiate essential activities or not.
In the event that authorisation is denied, companies may restart the process for a new analysis of the protocol.
The provisions included in the guidelines are issued in good faith. Failure to comply will result in closure of businesses that put employees' health at risk.
Originally published 21 May 2020
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