Cozumel COVID-19 News

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May 13, 2020

The Cozumel News Cozumel Current Mandates including change of curfew and exercising priviledges – Drivers License office to open – Cozumel Home Schooling – New Federal Mandates for opening – Colonia Adolfo Lopez Mateos Community Kitchen – Today´s Covid-19 Report – and more!

Cozumel Current Local Mandates

1. Curfew is from 7 pm until 5 am until further notice.
2. One person per vehicle; no vehicles without plates.
3. Face Masks are mandatory
4. No reunions or Events
5. All public places closed, beaches, parks, etc.
6. Only essential businesses open, restaurants can only offer takeout or delivery.
7. Maintain the safe distance of two meters.
8. Exercsing is allowed with some restrictions.

Lights Out

They have turned off the lights on some parks to discourage youths from sneaking into the park to play with others at night.

Cozumel Fishing

There is no regulation or law prohibiting fishing. The problem is that the federal government has ordered all the coastal shores and beaches closed. The Maritime authorities have restricted the use of all small vessels. Hence, no way to fish!

Exercising

In an interview the Municipal President stated people could exercise outdoors. He did not specify with or without bicycles, so let us assume that they are allowed along with walking and jogging.  (He probably got tired of all the complaints of people exercising and the police ignoring them).

Do not go far!

However, he set the rules to follow, use face masks, use your disinfectant gel, keep the safe distancing, do not go in groups, etc. I suggest if you are bicycling, stay in a safe area, the farther you venture, the more the risk of contamination. As far as I know the other side of the island is still closed off.

Renew your Drivers Licenses

Starting next Tuesday, you will be able to call 987-872-0092 and make an appointment to get your drivers license renewed. This is now to be done by appointment only to maintain the social distancing.

Walking your Dogs

The President stated of course you may take your dogs out so they may do their business. However, you must pick up after them.

Only one person should be walking them, you must wear masks, maintain social distancing, no groups of people, etc. Try to stay as near to your home as possible.

Cozumel Home Schooling

There are classes daily Monday to Friday on Television, computer and via YouTube. In addition, teachers are reaching out to their pupils via WhatsApp and assigning homework as usual.

Results when School Resumes

The work will be turned in when school resumes. Sometimes with our third grader we are asked to send pictures or videos of my granddaughter doing a project.

Some Children Have no Access

Lic.  Manuel Conrado was interviewed on Sol radio 899 this morning. He stated that they were aware that many children do not have access to the internet. Many in this financial crisis can no longer afford a telephone.

The Fincas

His biggest problem that they are facing are the children living in the Fincas. There is not internet service in that area, no computers, and no smart telephones. He spoke of the possibility of dropping off some workbooks.

Call for Help!

They will be taking this into consideration, but he encouraged parents to call their teachers and find another method to get the school assignments. If you need help contacting your school or have further questions, you can send him a WhatsApp at 987-103-5102.

Is it Working?

They have no way to measure. if their current efforts are working. We will not know until the children return to school and are tested.

Start Date Tentative

The schools are tentatively set to open in June. The Federal government will make the call based on the COVID-19 color coding that you see on the reports. More than likely they will start the children by grade levels.

In the meantime, they are working on plans to maintain social distancing, the types of masks that they will need, etc.

Here is your community on-line Resource! Cannot find an answer? Contact The Cozumel Sun News and we will assist you!

Report from The Genneral Health Council

The General Health Council at its third meeting of the permanent session approved 4 agreements for the progressive lifting of containment measures against COVID-19 Pandemic.

1.- The construction, mining and manufacturing of transportation equipment are included in the list of essential activities.

2.- Restrictions are released for school and work activities in non-contagious municipalities that have neighborhoods with also contagious-free municipalities.

3.- All companies and establishments will apply sanitary measures on a mandatory basis in the workplace, which will be issued by @SSalud_mx @Tu_IMSS @STPS_mx

4.- Starting June 1, 2020 @SSalud_mx will define a weekly traffic light for each state. Each color will allow certain economic, educational, and social activities with specific intensity levels.

The Cozumel Sun News promotes Cozumel Mexico Community Programs for FREE in The Cozumel Sun Facebook Group 

Colonia Adolfo Lopez Mateos Community Kitchen

Contact: Jorge Moreno

Location: 50 Avenida Norte Corner Calle 3 Sur across from the DIF Park

Meals: FREE Meals delivered or Groceries

Recipients

Their focus is serving families with older adults, people with disabilities and families with many children. However, due to the huge unemployment problem facing the island it was necessary for them to add families without income.

They serve approximately 150 families each day, or about 600 meals daily.

Monday – Friday At 2:00 pm delivery starts right to the homes. They occupy up to 4 delivery men to distribute food within the city. There is a van that has the specific commission to bring food to the farthest areas of the city.

Due to lack of funds they have had to take turns feeding the families within the urban area of the island.

However, the van heads to the secluded areas with food every day due to the great need of the families who live there.

Volunteers: Jorge´s wife Alejandra Sánchez, and friends Yesica Gutiérrez, & David Macias.

Meals:

George and Alexandra started a kitchen on March 22 feeding beans and rice; to all he could affords. However, that was short lived as the first of COVID-19 was reported on the island and social precautions became mandatory.

They contacted the families and asked them to send their general information via Facebook or WhatsApp. They made an official list of their group. They changed from running a kitchen to delivering the food to their homes.

The Community Stepped Up

In the Beginning it was difficult at first to gather enough food to feed these families. With the grace of God, members of the community started sending what food they could afford, and those that could not, joined in to do the hard work of delivering and handling out the food.

Many people and companies have now stepped up and brought them rice, lentils, turkey, fish, chicken, pork, vegetables, and pasta.  But as the Pandemic drags on the donations get fewer.

Some give them financial support that they use to purchase cooking gas, medicines, and other nonfood necessities, such as money for rent or utilities.

COVID-19 Measures

Face masks, safe distancing, disinfecting mandates are all followed as well as curfews.

They have Coordinated

Jorge was incredibly pleased when he observed that other families began cooking in other colonies on the island. The goal is to have a community Kitchen in each of the colonies; there are currently eight other kitchens.

They are coordinating so that they do not duplicate recipients. They compare their lists and are sharing resources.

Donations

They are using their own funds with assistance from some members of the community and businesses that have donated food, and cash.

The kitchens have become a cooperative that now includes the Cozumel Sun, everything extra is shared with other kitchen locations.

The couple of boxes from the Government that only some people received are not doing it! They are once again out of the food boxes and many on the island have yet to receive government help.

How You Can Help:

If you are in Cozumel, food donations, grocery store gifts cards, supplies, and Cash. They welcome volunteer.

If you are out of the country, our friends at The Cozumel Sun are accepting donations, they will absorb the Papal Fees and pay the taxes on your donations. They will forward donations to us in the form of grocery gift cards, they will even buy medications if needed.

The Cozumel Sun will provide the recipient and the donor with copies of the receipts and a picture of the transaction. You may make a general donation to be distributed as needed or specify for Jorge´s Community Kitchen.

Giving is simple, go to Our Web Page https://www.thecozumelsun.com/ the PayPal Button is at the bottom left of the home page of
The Cozumel Sun.

Update as of May 12, 2020

Thanks to our readers The Cozumel Sun has delivered $13,600 pesos in food gift cards for Brenda´s community kitchens this week alone! We also supplied insulin and syringes for one of Brenda´s neighbors. Let us keep Cozumel going! Let us pull together and donate!

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Todays COVID-19 Report

The numbers of infected people that we report is really a week old. If you get the virus today you will not show symptoms for up to five days. If you have the severe effect, it will not appear until approximately seven days after you were exposed.

Support The Cozumel Sun

The Cozumel Sun provides the news in English, offers free adevertising to local businesses, and offers hands on assistance to the Englisg speaking community either visisting Cozumel or moving here permamently.

Our number one focus is to support the local community. We have families that we have supported before the COVID-19 Crisis with help from our readers. Donate to one of the charities that we feature or to the Cozumel Sun.

We are featuring the COVID-19 Crisis kitchens and other programs helping our beautiful local people across the island.

However, remember that we still provide food, purchase medications, assists with medical expenses, and help pay expenses for our own list of people in need.

We cover the Paypal Fees and report the donations as income to The Cozumel Sun. We therefore pay taxes for all the donations that come through us to help other groups. Do not forget to support us also! God Bless all of you already giving!

The Cozumel Sun Facebook Group is the place to exchange information, ask questions, and get fast responses to any problems you may encounter during this critical time.