MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Most of Argentina under strict confinement as of Saturday

Fernández announced his decision in a broadcast message

Argentine President Alberto Fernández Thursday decreed nine days of strict confinement starting Saturday in what he claimed was a measure to lower the increasing number of coronavirus cases.

Fernández was supported by most provincial governors as well as by the mayor of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA) Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, who less than a month ago challenged the President's decision to shut down schools before the courts and even got a favourable ruling from the federal Supreme Court.

Fernández announced his decision in a broadcast message after two days of debate with provincial leaders, officials and medical experts.

The new emergency decree (DNU) will be in force between Saturday, May 22 and June 11. The first 9 days, between May 22 and May 30, and the June 5 and 6 weekend, (Saturday and Sunday) a strict lockdown will be in force.

The measures are as follows:

- Circulation is restricted in all areas of the country classified as High Risk or Epidemiological Alarm.

- The measure will be in force as of this coming Saturday, May 22 at 0 hours until Sunday, May 30 inclusive.

- Social, economic, educational, religious and sports activities will be banned in principle.

- Stores will be allowed to work on a takeaway or home delivery basis.

- Circulation between 6 am and 6 pm shall be restricted to the areas around people's homes.

- The measure is to last 9 days of which only 3 are business days (May 26, 27 and 28) due to the May 24 and 25 national holidays.

- After these 9 days, activities will return to the regime effective up until May 21.

- But each area may implement other restrictions according to epidemiological and health indicators.

The National Government also announced additional measures to assist families and companies which might be affected by the new restrictive measures.