Guidelines for the Gradual Plan Towards the New Normality in Mexico City

On May 29, 2020, the Guidelines for the Implementation of the Gradual Plan towards the New Normality in Mexico City were published in the Official Gazette of Mexico City.

Below we will refer to the most relevant aspects set forth in said Guidelines:

a) As of June 1, the CMDX’s epidemiological four-color coding system (identified as “traffic light”) will be red, therefore, in addition to the activities that were already considered essential by the Government, activities related to construction, mining, manufacturing of transportation equipment, manufacturing related to the production chain of auto parts, bicycles sale, beer production, among others, may be carried out;

b) The CDMX Monitoring Committee has been organized. It should be noted that one of its faculties is to relocate an economic sector or activity in a different color from the four-color coding system and to set forth additional measures to restrict activities or modify existing guidelines.

c) It is stated that the color of the epidemiological four-color coding system will be published every Friday in the Official Gazette of the CDMX, which will come into effect the following Monday.

From page 14 of the Gazette, you can find the list of activities that may be reactivated in each color.

Those responsible for the activities that will be reactivated according to the four-color coding system shall: (i) have the authorization of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS); and (ii) as of June 16, register in the platform http://covid19.cdmx.gob.mx/medidassanitarias to the system identified as “Llave CDMX” with the general identification requested by said platform and accept the strict compliance and observance of each of the sanitary measures contained therein. Once accepted, the platform will generate a Commitment Letter (which must be published in a visible place of the establishment along with the posters to be determined by the CDMX Government). In the case of companies with more than one work center, each center will be registered individually.

d) It is determined that the health protection protocols to be implemented for the return to the New Normality will be published in the portal https://covid19.cdmx.gob.mx/nuevanormalidad. In said site you already find the protocols applicable to the primary sector (agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing, etc.), self-service establishments, protection standards for grocery stores, public transport sector, mining, transport equipment manufacturing, brewery industry, parks and natural areas and public markets.

e) The aforementioned site includes, in addition to the protocols mentioned above, a reference to the safe return to work sheets published by the Federal Government, which include, as of the present date, the so-called “recommendations for safe return to work before COVID-19” for supermarkets and pharmacies, transportation, home service, restaurants, aerospace, automotive industry, hotels, construction, movies, etc. which shall also be observed.

f) It is determined that, in addition to those set forth in the guidelines, protocols or rules issued for this purpose for each economic sector and activity, employers who resume activities will be responsible for carrying out the necessary actions to ensure that the following health protection measures are implemented in the workplace: (i) encouraging home office, and making it mandatory for vulnerable people; (ii) frequent hand washing with soap and water or using 70% alcohol-based solutions; (iii) maintaining a healthy distance (at least 1.5 m) between people; (iv) signposting inside establishments to indicate flows and distance measures; (v) placing disinfectant mats at the entrances to work centers with sodium hypochlorite concentrations of at least 0 5%, ensuring that they are clean and with disinfectant liquid; (vi) sanitization of work tools, avoiding that they are shared among workers; (vii) exhaustive cleaning and frequent sanitization of establishments; (viii) signaling, communication and training on cleaning and hygiene practices; (ix) supply of inputs for washing and disinfection of the establishment; (x) daily taking of temperature of employees; and (xi) cleaning of inputs, goods or products received in the establishment.

Finally, it should be noted that, through the press conference held on May 31, the Mexico City Government stated that the working day for those activities that will be incorporated into the economic activities will be from Monday to Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

If you have any questions or require advice in relation to the above, please do not hesitate to contact any of our partners or associates.

Yours sincerely,

Cannizzo