Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – At an extraordinary session of the Municipal Health Council held over the weekend, Mayor Arturo Dávalos Peña said that though there have been no cases of COVID-19 in Puerto Vallarta to date, preventive actions have already been put into place to safeguard the health of its residents and visitors.
In addition to the measures that have already been issued at the state level, like health screening of passengers arriving at the airport, maritime terminal and main bus station, and the suspension of classes at all schools as of Tuesday, March 17; the municipality is doing its part by sharing the preventive actions that everyone can take at home through a comprehensive media campaign, and by establishing COVID-19 protocols at health institutions such as the IMSS, the Mayor said.
Dávalos pointed out that the city’s business sectors have also taken preventive measures to avoid the presence of this and other diseases in the future. For example, local hotels, through the Association of Hotels and Motels, have maintained for 15 days the disinfection of public areas, as well as internal training for staff and the dissemination of preventive information and antibacterial gel to their guests. Similar precautions have been taken by local stores, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Also preventively, said the mayor, large events, such as the traditional Children’s Day celebration and Puerto Vallarta Marathon, have been canceled, of which many will be rescheduled for a later date.
Arturo Dávalos asked the people of Vallarta to be attentive only to the official information of the Ministry of Health, the State Government and the Municipal Government, since content has been generated on social media that is not truthful, misinformed and creates confusion among citizens, and reiterated that all the implemented actions are preventive to avoid possible risks and to take care of the health of citizens and tourists.
Also, strategies are in the works to ensure that the economic activity of the port is not affected, to promote everything that is being done in Vallarta to keep it a safe tourist destination in terms of health, and to prevent someone with possible symptoms from entering the destination.
All the members of the Municipal Health Council agreed that NOW is the ideal time to take care of the health of Puerto Vallarta and prevent any possible contingency that may arise from the presence of this disease in the world. They assured that they will continue working and that any actions deemed necessary will be followed up in a timely manner.
Puerto Vallarta Municipal Government news bulletin translated and edited by María Francesca for BanderasNews.com.