On December 3, 2020, the Governor of Puerto Rico, Wanda Vázquez Garced, announced the new curfew and business operation rules that will be incorporated into the Executive Order that will become effective next Monday, December 7, and which will remain in effect until Monday, January 7, 2021 to address the recent peak in COVID-19 cases in Puerto Rico.

Following a brief general summary of the Governor of Puerto Rico’s announcement on the curfew and business operation rules to address COVID-19, which will be object of a new Executive Order anytime soon.

• Retail Commerce: Retail Commerce remains at 30% capacity, without counting employees. Compulsory social distancing, use of masks and hand washing (hand sanitizer use) preventive measures remain in effect. Except for drug stores, which may remain open for dispensing medications, all businesses and restaurants must be closed by 8:30 p.m.
• Curfew: Nobody should be outside of their residence from Mondays to Saturdays between 9 p.m. -5 a.m., except exempted essential workers. The Police will be conducting roadblocks to enforce this curfew.
• Sunday: Total lockdown.  The only business that are allowed to work on Sundays are gas stations, drug stores, supermarkets, and hardware stores.  Restaurants may open on Sundays for deliveries and pick-ups only.
• Mega Stores: Mega stores with integrated supermarkets and drug stores may operate on Sundays only as grocery stores and drug stores.  Mega stores cannot sell alcohol on Sundays.  The sale of any other articles such as home goods, electric appliances, clothes, is prohibited. Megastores that do not follow this rule will be closed.
• Alcohol Sales (Ley Seca):  No alcohol sales on weekends (Saturday at 5 a.m. to Monday at 5:00 a.m.), except restaurants on Saturdays which may sell alcohol to customers eating at the establishment. No alcohol carry-out sales on Saturdays.
• Delivery Business: Restaurants and supermarkets may do deliveries any day of the week until 11:00 p.m.
• Restaurants: Restaurants may remain open until 8:30 p.m. and must accept clients by reservation when possible.  Restaurants will not be allowed to have lines or people waiting outside of the establishment. Restaurants may not sell alcohol to customers waiting to be seated.
• Bars: Bars must remain closed until further notice.
• Supermarkets: Supermarkets may remain open to the public from Mondays to Sundays until 8:30 p.m.  and may do deliveries until 11:00 p.m.
• Enclosed Malls: Limited density inside malls. Strict compliance of one person for every 75 square feet will be required in mall common areas and walkways.
• Required Signage: (1) Businesses must post signage including confidential hotline for the public to report Executive Order violations. The hotline number is 787-522-6300 ext 6840, 6824, 6833.  Written reports may be sent to investigaciones@salud.pr.gov. (2) Maximum capacity posting requirement continues in place. Capacity may not exceed 30%, excluding employees.
• Beaches and Rivers: may be visited from Monday to Saturday to exercise only outside of lockdown hours.  No coolers or beach chairs are allowed. Only individual water sports may be practiced.
• Hotels: In order to open their common areas and pools, they must be supervised.
• Marinas and boats: Must remain close and the use of boats is suspended.
• Gyms: the Governor did not mention this topic, but further information should be available once the Executive Order is published.
• Employers: a negative PCR result may not be required as a requirement for reinstatement after an employee receives a positive result, if the employee was isolated for the period recommended by the CDC.

Please note that this information may vary and will ultimately depend on the actual Executive Order that is approved and published by the Puerto Rico Governor.  We expect the Executive Order to be published at anytime.