The new closure, a measure with many similarities to the first quarantine

The government announced on Thursday a lockdown in districts at “high risk or epidemiological alert” to seek to stem the growth of coronavirus infections. The measure will be in effect from Saturday 22 to Sunday 30 and will be repeated on the weekend of June 5 and 6.

As stated, and although the fine print of the decree presidential, it would be an isolation very similar to that decreed in March 2020, when the country entered “phase 1”.

It was on March 19, 2020 that Alberto Fernández communicated in a speech the start of a total quarantine which began to take effect at 0 on Friday 20 by Decree 297/2020.

-In this first strict confinement, called preventive and compulsory social isolation (ASPO), you could only go out to buy food or medicine from nearby stores. Now it will only be allowed circulate near the house, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., or for specially authorized reasons.

-In March 2020, only companies related to the food industry, pharmacies, gas stations, hardware stores and veterinarians were allowed to operate. In this Thursday’s announcement, it was reported that “essential stores will be activated, shops with home delivery and take-out “, without item specifications.

-During the first quarantine, classes have been suspended face to face. This measure is repeated this time, although many districts have already closed classrooms last month.

-In 2020, offices were closed and activities in industrial sectors unrelated to the food and energy sector were suspended, among other essentials. This Thursday it was reported that from Saturday 22 “economic activities will be suspended in person”, without giving details.

-Strict measures will also be replicated, as in 2020, in “social, economic, educational, religious and sporting activities in person”.

-In March 2020, when decree 297/2020 was published, the limits. For the moment, no measure has been announced in this regard for this new confinement.

-As in March of last year, restricts traffic as much as possible for those who are not essential workers. Pending the decree which details the measures announced this Thursday, it has been reported that the list of essential personnel would be the same used in the first quarantine.

This payroll includes:

Health personnel, security forces, armed forces, immigration activities, national meteorological service, firefighters and air traffic control.

Higher authorities of national, provincial, municipal and autonomous city of Buenos Aires governments. Workers of the national, provincial, municipal public sector and of the autonomous city of Buenos Aires, called to guarantee the essential activities required by the respective authorities.

Justice service personnel on duty, as established by the competent authorities.

Foreign diplomatic and consular staff accredited to the Argentine government, within the framework of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and to the staff of international organizations accredited to the Argentine government, the Red Cross and the White Helmets.

People who need to help other people with disabilities; family members in need of assistance; to the elderly; to boys, girls and adolescents.

People who have to deal with a force majeure situation.

People affected by funeral services, burials and cremations.

People affected to the attention of school, community canteens and picnic areas.

Staff working in audiovisual, radio and graphic communication services.

Staff affected by public works.

Wholesale and retail supermarkets and local retail stores. Pharmacy. Hardware stores. Veterinary. Provision of decanters.

Food industries, their production chain and supplies; personal hygiene and cleaning; medical equipment, drugs, vaccines and other health supplies.

Activities related to the production, distribution and marketing of agriculture and fisheries.

Telecommunications activities, fixed and mobile Internet and digital services.

Activities that cannot be postponed are related to foreign trade.

Collection, transport and treatment of solid urban, dangerous and pathogenic waste.

Maintenance of basic services (water, electricity, gas, communications, etc.) and emergency care.

Public transport of passengers, transport of goods, petroleum, fuel and LPG.

Home delivery of food, medicine, hygiene products, cleaning products and other necessary supplies.

Laundry services.

Postal and parcel delivery services.

Essential security, cleaning and guard services.

The evolution of quarantine

Following the announcement of the strict quarantine, the first extension was confirmed at the end of March last year. “I have made the decision to extend the quarantine until the end of Holy Week,” announced the president.

Two weeks later, the return to work of the banking system and some productive activities were activated. At the end of this month, several parts of the country relaxed restrictive measures, although in cities of more than 500 thousand inhabitants they continued with severe isolation.

the recreational outings for boys in the city of Buenos Aires, they were not allowed until mid-May, amid heated controversy over the psychological impact of detention. Then it was the turn of the runners and individual outdoor physical activities.

The Province of Buenos Aires has also added flexibility and the list of people authorized to use public transport has also undergone several extensions.

The end of isolation in the AMBA was announced in November of last year. The ASPO gave rise to the Preventive and Compulsory Social Distancing (DISPO).

“What fundamentally authorizes is that circulate without authorization, which must now circulate in the AMBA ”, declared the president while evoking the new stage of the quarantine.

Face-to-face classes are they remained suspended in most countries during all year.

The new hardening came in April this year, ahead of the new wave of infections. In AMBA, circulation was restricted between 20 and 6 Only for essential workers, with a much larger list of activities, social gatherings in closed spaces have been banned and face-to-face classes have been suspended.

The movement sparked a strong conflict with the city, who kept the classrooms open and took his complaint to the Supreme Court of Justice, where he got a positive response.

LM