The gradual reopening of the economy announced by the Health Ministry (Minsa) on Tuesday has received a  cool reception from the private sector.       

 eliminated The restriction on mobility by identification and announced that departures by gender will be allowed on the corresponding days for men and women in the provinces of Panama and Panama Oeste.

Luis Francisco Sucre, Minister of Health, said that the curfew will be from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., and there will be a total quarantine on weekends, starting on January 15, from Fridays at 9 monday at 4:00 am

He added that the restrictions to cut the chain of transmission of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus were extended to the provinces of Coclé, Veraguas, Los Santos and Herrera.

 Meanwhile, the Minister of Commerce and Industries, Ramón Martínez, said that from    February 1, the retail trade will be to operate in person, keeping the corresponding capacity limit   beauty parlors and barber shops will open

From February 15, it will be the turn of car washes, tailors, shoe stores, creative and cultural industries restaurants (with the mandatory use of acrylic screens), Martínez said.

-On March 1, gyms, massage rooms, beauty salons, spa, lottery and racetrack will open. on March 15, the beaches, spas, cinemas, casinos are scheduled to reopen.

The Archdiocese will reopen  churches from to Friday from January 15

For the president of the Industrial Union of Panama (SIP), Aldo Mangravita, the measures that will be applied as of January 14 will be negative for the economy, especially for the restaurant sector.

"The economy has been heading to the cliff for months and now more with these new measures," he said.

 the president of the Panamanian Association of Business Executives, Elisa Suárez, indicated that the important thing is that traceability is maintained to prevent people from reaching hospitals.

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