Alberto Fernández met infectologists who recommended stricter measures, the closure of schools and gastronomy

Alberto Fernández is finalizing the details before signing a new DNU with restrictions in an attempt to stop the advance of the pandemic, which this Wednesday marked a new record of infections. The president will maintain this afternoon a videoconference with the governorsWhile in the Casa Rosada no one dares to confirm the implementation of a total weekend closure in the city, which until now would be the exclusive responsibility of the head of government of Buenos Aires, while Axel Kicillof is studying the real scope of these measures to bend or not.

The head of state already knows what to say to provincial leaders: he first led a virtual meeting with the committee of infectologists who have been advising him since last year. Experts called on the president to demand that governors take tougher measures and insisted on the need for greater control to ensure that they are met. They demanded the closure of schools and they warned that the epidemiological situation will worsen. Fernández has promised to agree on the measures or, if necessary, to take them alone. The president had said 48 hours earlier that he would not return to phase 1. “We are not going back to phase 1. People are not resisting it,” he said in an interview with Radio 10.

From Olivos and by Zoom, Fernández heard for the first time the lapidary diagnosis of the doctors who advise the government. “We must reduce mobility. There are decisions that are unpleasant and negative for who must take them, but they must be taken. The wave is serious and severe,” infectologists told the president. They also warned of the different and most dangerous mutations of the virus circulating in the country.

According to reports from official sources who attended the meeting, experts called for the new and stricter measures to be extended for three weeks. “All gastronomy must be closed. HThe time has come when (to lower) that high flattened curve in which the restrictions must be increased. Schools must be included, ”they warned.

No one was surprised. Infectologists Tomas Orduna and Andrea Gentile, who attended the meeting, had already warned earlier – in statements to Telam – of the need to put in place measures to stop traffic. The advisory body was also composed of Pedro and Florencia Kahn, Mirta Roses, Gonzalo Camargo, Carlota Russ and Luis Camera, among others.

At the last meeting before the current decree, which expires on Friday, experts suggested that the President wait before implementing stricter measures, for which they recommended that the executive build the broadest possible consensus. around any hard measures. On April 26, they advised the President to strengthen controls and monitoring of measures already taken at the time.

Experts praised the vaccination process; They argued that the situation would be more dire without the vaccinations that have already been carried out. In addition, they demanded that the provinces respect the epidemiological traffic light. “It’s going to get worse, you can’t keep waiting,” they warned.

Fernández took note of the reflections of infectologists with the Minister of Health Carla Vizzotti and the interior, Eduardo “Wado” by Pedro.

At Casa Rosada, the Chief of Staff followed the details with his second, Cecilia Todesca, and the Legal and Technical Secretary Vilma Ibarra, in charge of all executive decrees.

The President also spoke of the seriousness of the health situation, the figures of which speak for themselves: more than 39 thousand infections detected this Wednesday, the highest number since the coronavirus epidemic.

Without numbers or time in Congress to move forward with a bill that regulates the necessary restrictions, the president would add to the new DNU – which will communicate this Thursday – the epidemiological fire that appears in the text presented last week.

Unlike previous meetings with governors, at Casa Rosada they warned that provincial leaders, this time constrained by reality in their districts, must themselves implement restrictive measures as demanded by the executive. The Santa Fe and the Peronist Omar Perotti ordered to drastically reduce traffic in his province; the Corrientes and the radical Gustavo Valdés suspended the provincial classes. At La Rosada there was unease with many governors that the cost of unpopular decisions rested with the president.

Horacio Rodríguez Larreta acknowledged receipt of the rise in infections and was preparing restrictions: weekend closures and limitations for non-essential businesses, although he will maintain the presence of initial and primary levels and bimodal in secondary. Nor would it ban social gatherings in public spaces. In the province, they raised objections. They do not know in detail the Buenos Aires proposal. “If it is an effective total closure, we can accompany it,” said a relative of Kicillof.

The governor of Buenos Aires met in the morning with his own advisory committee. This Friday, it will be the turn of the 135 mayors of the province. “From the start, we have argued that the measures must be adopted together and accompanied by the necessary legal instruments and economic assistance,” said Kicillof, who expects a coordinated policy for AMBA. His relatives demand strong measures from the City rather than declarative measures.

The sanitarist Mario rovere stressed – in line with previous statements by the governor – that the second wave hits young people harder and exposes pregnant women to more danger.