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Mayors say Cancun, Playa del Carmen beaches to remain open under orange epidemiological light

Cancun, Q.R. — Mayors say that despite the upcoming epidemiological light rollback, the beaches of Cancun and Playa del Carmen will remain open.

Mayors from both cities say that unlike before where the beaches were closed, they will remain open while the northern region is under the orange epidemiological light. The news was confirmed by the mayors of Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

Cancun mayor Mara Lezama says “the orange color, according to what the Ministry of Health sends us, is about a percentage, not a closing with the orange traffic light. It seems to me that beaches will be 30 percent capacity according to the information that the State Secretary of Health has given us,” she explained.

The mayor also acknowledged that there has been a relaxation of health measures among people, so the announcement of the orange rollback was not a surprise.

“People thought that the disease was over, that the virus was gone, but it has not gone, it is still here. We are still in the middle of a pandemic,” she stressed.

The mayor of Playa del Carmen also released a similar statement, clarifying that the city’s beaches will remain open, but at a reduced capacity. Playa del Carmen mayor Laura Beristain Navarrete pointed out that the change in the light was also not a surprise.

She acknowledged that for months, the state of Quintana Roo has been at an orange light at a federal level, but at the state level, it was advanced to yellow due to economic recovery issues.

“One day the airports were opened, the holidays arrived and here are the results. We are not looking to lay guilt, that would be inappropriate. We have to continue serving as always, as public servants,” she said.

Starting January 25, the northern portion of the state will revert back to an orange epidemiological light, while the southern portion remains yellow. For the north, this means an increase in sanitary filters and a reduction of traffic mobility as well as a reduction in business capacities.

Under the yellow light, a majority of businesses are able to operate up to a 60 percent capacity, however, under orange, that is reduced to 30 percent. The mayor of Cozumel has announced that due to the island’s favorable indicators, they will not regress to the orange light with the rest of the region.