‘Pico y Cedula’ Shopping Restrictions Extended Through January 26
Antioquia Governor Anibal Gaviria announced last night (January 19) that “pico y cedula” shopping restrictions will hit the entire Medellin metro area (including “Oriente”) starting the first minute of Thursday, January 21, until midnight Tuesday, January 26.
In addition, curfews will be imposed from 10 pm today (Wednesday) until 5 am daily through January 26.
As a result, people with cedulas ending in even numbers can go shopping on even-numbered days (including today, Wednesday January 20), while odd-numbered cedulas are green-lighted for shopping on odd-numbered days.
Restaurants and hotels are exempted from pico-y-cedula, as well as essential workers, home-delivery workers and emergency situations.
The mandates hit Medellin and the other nine municipalities in Valle de Aburra, as well as the Oriente (east of Medellin) cities of Rionegro, Marinilla, El Santuario, Guarne, El Carmen de Viboral, El Retiro and La Ceja, according to Governor Gaviria.
This latest extension of pico-y-cedula and curfew regulations are the result of the continuing surge in Covid-19 infections and a dangerously high 91.5% occupancy of intensive care units (ICUs) in local hospitals, he said.
However, “we are beginning to perceive a stabilization [in Covid-19 hospitalizations] that we hope will be maintained — and we can hope for a little-by-little decline,” Gaviria added.
