Regulation of Measures Adopted to Comply with Preventive Isolation 

March, 2020 - Alvaro Cala

Decree 457 of 2020 issued a mandatory preventive isolation order for every resident of the Republic of Colombia, as a consequence of the economic, social and ecological emergency that has been declared in the national territory.

In this regard, it is required to regulate the mandatory isolation ordered by Decree 092 of 2020 in Bogotá D.C.

This Decree includes 32 exceptions for the free circulation of people and vehicles that perform or are indispensable to perform or receive certain tasks, which are also set forth in Decree 457 of 2020; however, specific exceptions are provided for Bogotá: (i) people who take care of people who, due to their condition of vulnerability, require the assistance of trained staff, (ii) people with cognitive or psychosocial disabilities in order to avoid the effects of the confinement, (iii) people who must prevent or attend situations of illegal occupation of public utility properties, (iv) people who must protect the life of animals that are in places that are not their home, (v) people needed to build or adapt infrastructure to mitigate the impact of the emergency caused by the COVID-19.

Therefore, the following special measures were adopted in Bogotá, to comply with the mandatory isolation decreed by the National Government:

  • •  Those responsible for the development of the exempted activities, in particular financial and banking institutions, notaries, and contact centers, are called upon to adopt, among others, the following measures (i) establish teleworking days in cases where physical presence is not necessary, (ii) establish shifts and schedules for user service, (iii) give priority to people over 60 years old, pregnant women, among others; (iv) provide disinfection elements to workers and clients.
  • •  In the performance of the activities covered by the exceptions to the restriction of free circulation, no more than 50 persons may be allowed to crowd together and a distance of at least two meters must be ensured.
  • Ensure that the production, trading and distribution chain always complies with the health and safety requirements.
  • To ensure that whenever there is a need to get out and whether is under the exceptions, it must be to the nearest place from home.
  • •  The drinking of alcoholic beverages is forbidden in public spaces and commercial establishments, and the distribution and sale is limited to one product per person, for which a record must be kept.
  • •  The provision of transportation terminal services is restricted to people who can prove their residence in other municipalities and are in the District carrying out some of the exempted activities.
  • •  Special measures were adopted for companies that provide home delivery services, such as (i) avoid crowding of more than five persons in the dispatch centers; (ii) regular disinfection of working equipment; (iii) abstain from providing the service to any person with signs of the flu.
  • •  The provisions given in the District Decrees will no longer be applicable, only the total restriction of people and vehicles regulated in Decrees 457 and 092 of 2020 will be valid.
  • •  The breach of the provisions mentioned above can cause sanctions such as fines, warnings or closure of establishments, without prejudice to the sanctions set out in the Criminal Code on violation of health measures, and a prison sentence may be imposed.

 



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