As of December 6, 2021, the Mexican government has determined that the state of Baja California is yellow on the federal traffic light system. Public health restrictions continue to apply with recommended use of face masks and goggles No more than two passengers are allowed per private vehicle. The use of ride-hailing services such as Uber and DIDI is allowed, but only two passengers plus the driver are allowed in the vehicle and only in case of emergency. Metro and public transport schedules have been reduced. Wearing a mask in public has been recommended. State and local governments have established health checkpoints throughout the state. San Nicolas de los Garza has made it mandatory to use face masks outside the home, even if they are in a vehicle. Meanwhile, Viva Aerobus said on social media: «We want to see you smile! Starting today, you decide whether or not to use your face mask on our flights and at Mexican airports. For international flights, we follow the rules of the destination country. So, yes, things were bad.
But without strict mask rules and proper adherence to those rules, I`m willing to bet things would have been much worse. I`m so grateful for these rules: for myself, for the family I have here, and frankly, for the example they set for other parts of the world (if only other parts of the world would pay attention). Non-essential businesses and activities have limited days and hours, are subject to frequent compliance inspections and limit the number of people who can enter. Pharmacies, laboratories, medical clinics and shops selling gas and water are allowed to remain open without restrictions. Restaurants, supermarkets, shopping malls, banks and kindergartens will have some restrictions on their capacity and opening hours. State officials strongly encourage the use of face masks and some communities require their use in public places. Officials may impose fines and/or arrest and detain those who violate regulations. There are, of course, aberrant values: Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador refused to mask himself during the pandemic. But this decision did not evolve into a political call to action, as might be the case in the United States, for example.
While mask requirements vary across the 31 Mexican states (plus Mexico City) and have changed with the different waves of the pandemic, many states currently require people to mask indoors. According to Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Maryland, 59% of Mexican residents say they always wear a mask in public. That`s down from 87% in February 2021, but still pretty impressive compared to the meagre 16% in the US. In Mexico City, 68% of residents say they always wear a mask. The government has found that the state is green on the federal traffic light system. Authorities require everyone in public to wear face masks and have set up health checkpoints throughout the state. Social distancing policies apply indoors and all infractions are punishable by a fine. Michoacán police units are deployed in all 113 municipalities, where they ensure that the population complies with established health measures. Officials may impose fines and/or arrest and detain those who violate stay-at-home orders. Non-essential shops in Michoacán must close at 19:00 between Thursday and Saturday.
Shortly after the Mexican authorities` announcement, local airlines reacted. They posted statements and social media posts informing passengers of the changes to the requirement to wear face masks. The government advises that the use of face masks in open spaces where people can maintain a «healthy distance» from each other should not be mandatory, but recommends wearing one outdoors if social distancing is not possible. It offers the same advice for confined spaces. Instead of waiting in line to be interviewed by an immigration officer, travellers will soon be able to scan their passports at an automated self-service border checkpoint. With masks now officially optional, many previously reluctant travelers will begin to seek winter accommodation. As a result, tourism figures will increase even more. The Cancun airport will certainly take note of this and is undoubtedly working to implement the new technology as soon as possible. In another move showing that the world is ready to let Covid fade in the past, a new measure introduced in Mexico eliminated the mandatory wearing of masks on flights and at airports. Like the U.S., passengers to and from Mexico will no longer face uncertainty when wearing masks. Effective October 12, 2022, connecting passengers to, from and within Mexico will no longer be required to wear a mask for the duration of the trip. An official statement from Mexico`s Federal Civil Aviation Agency confirms the end of Mexico`s mask era.
The federal government has released new COVID-19 guidelines recommending that the use of face masks indoors and outdoors not be mandatory. In Mexico City, where I live, I felt isolated from the mask war that defined the pandemic in the United States. Here, wearing a mask is still mandatory almost everywhere: in grocery stores, gyms, doctors` offices, schools, public transport, when ordering in cafes. There are exceptions, but they are rare. And even then, most people mask themselves. Although it is not mandatory, many people wear masks outdoors when walking their dogs or even walking around the park. Wearing a mask is very important in Mexico and everywhere else. A few other rules regarding the requirement to wear a Covid mask in Mexico are listed below.
Let`s be clear: the pandemic – and many aspects of the government`s response to the pandemic – have been devastating in Mexico. While the U.S. recently eased its travel arrangements, Mexico has never required negative COVID tests for visitors to enter the country. In fact, many tourists, especially from countries like New York and California, came here during the pandemic to avoid stricter restrictions elsewhere (aside from their opposition to masks, they raised serious concerns about gentrification).
