Medellin Metro Areas Unify ‘Pico y Cedula’ April 27 To May 11 with New Rotations

The Area Metropolitana de Valle de Aburra (AMVA) announced April 23 that Medellin and all its neighbors in Valle de Aburra will switch to a unified “pico y cedula” system restricting grocery, medicine and banking trips to certain days of the week during the Coronavirus quarantine.

The new order covers Medellin, Barbosa, Itagüí, Caldas, Sabaneta, La Estrella, Envigado, Bello, Copacabana and Girardota, according to AMVA.

So, starting next Monday (April 27), people with Colombia cedula numbers ending in 7 or 8 can venture out for groceries, drugs and banking, while people with cedulas ending in 9 or 0 can venture out the following day (Tuesday, April 28) — with further successive number rotations on following days (see chart, above).

Then, on Monday, May 4, a new rotation starts, so people with cedulas ending in 2 or 3 can venture out, while those with cedulas ending in 4 or 5 can venture out on Tuesday, May 5, with further successive number rotations on following days.

Colombia’s national quarantine is presumptively set to expire May 11.  But depending upon the evolution of the Coronavirus infection curve, it’s possible that another 14-day extension could be announced. So, revised “pico y cedula” rules might be extended yet again starting May 11.

Most people 70 years and older, and all school-age students, will remain in mandatory quarantine until May 30 — but have the same cedula/day excursion allowances.  

Meanwhile, the government potentially might announce further easings of quarantine restrictions on certain industries in coming days or weeks — but coupled with strict health protocols that already apply to construction, manufacturing, mining, agriculture, food retailing, pharmacies and public services.