Pico y cédula is back – and there’ll be another full lockdown this weekend.
As was to be expected, even after slightly muted Semana Santa celebrations, authorities plan to shut down the city again this weekend.
ICU occupancy is now at 67.7% and Mayor Claudia López fears a third wave is not far away. The original plan was only to tighten restrictions if the emergency ward occupancy went above 70%, but the mayor is stepping in early.
Another reason for concern is that at least one person with the Brazilian variant has died in Colombia. A mid-March announcement said that the variant had been identified in an elderly man who passed away at the end of January. He had not travelled to Brazil or Leticia.
Bogotá’s April restrictions
From now until April 19, pico y cédula will operate in the capital. If your ID ends in an even number, you can go shopping on odd days and vice versa. The current curfew is still in place between midnight and 5 am.
The following measures will apply in Bogotá from 11.59 pm on Friday (April 8) until 4 am on Tuesday (April 13).
- Shutdown: Neither people nor vehicles will be allowed to move around the city unless they are exempted.
- No alcohol sales: Ley seca will be in place, but you can get alcohol delivered domicilio.
All the usual exceptions apply, including:
- One person per household is allowed out to buy essential medicine and groceries between 5 am and 8 pm
- Essential workers can carry on as usual
- You can walk your pet for 20 minutes
- You can exercise for one hour
- You can go to medical, veterinary or vaccination appointments
The new measures will be reevaluated on April 13. It remains to be seen how strictly these measures will be followed or enforced.
Additional reporting: Steve Hide
