Governor: Too soon to loosen restrictions in pandemic EOs
By The Star Staff
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia said Monday he will not ease COVID-19 restrictions imposed in executive orders that expire in the next few days.
“This Thursday I must be making decisions regarding the restrictions we have -- extend restrictions, modify them -- and, as always, I will be monitoring the statistics, considering the recommendations made by all those who advise me,” Pierluisi said.
The governor said that on Sunday one of the executive orders expires, while the other expires next Tuesday, Jan. 18. However, he said, his statements on Thursday will address both executive orders, one of which has to do with attendance capacity for artistic and other mass events.
“Everyone has to understand that we are in the middle of this pandemic,” the governor said. “We are in the midst of a rebound never seen before from the point of view of contagion. So don’t expect me to be loosening restrictions. I don’t anticipate that I’m going to do that. Let anyone who is going to relax restrictions wait. If anything, I’ll maintain them or I’ll modify them very carefully, but until I see that infections decrease steadily, and hospitalizations drop steadily, do not expect greater flexibility.”
On Monday the island Department of Health reported more than 1,912 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, 5,456 probable cases and zero deaths. The monitoring covers the period from Dec. 25 to Jan. 8, 2022. The positivity rate rose to 39.97 percent.
Some 664 adults were hospitalized as of Monday and of them, 101 were in intensive care. Meanwhile, 86 minors were hospitalized and five were in intensive care. Seventy-four adults and one minor were on ventilators.
At least 2,789,916 islander had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 2,489,520 people had completed a series of doses. Total deaths attributed to COVID-19 stood at 3,373.