Mexico’s COVID-19 Traffic Light Monitoring System: News for June 7–20, 2021

Mexico’s federal government has lifted all restrictions on business and social activities used to contain the spread of COVID-19 in 19 of Mexico’s 32 states—the highest number of states without such restrictions since the government implemented its four-tiered traffic light pandemic monitoring system one year ago this month.

Although a majority of the states have moved up to green light status conditions, four states are currently in orange status—the second-most restrictive status—compared with only one, Quintana Roo, in the report for May 24, 2021–June 6, 2021. For the fourth consecutive month, no states are in red status (the status at which only essential activities are permitted), continuing a record of improving epidemiological conditions that began in March 2021. In order to achieve and maintain green status nationwide, the federal Ministry of Health and state governments are urging citizens to continue taking care of themselves and to comply with sanitary measures and safety and hygiene protocols.

Implemented in June 2020, the biweekly monitoring system is designed to alert residents to the epidemiological risks of COVID-19 and provide guidance regarding restrictions on certain activities in each of the country’s states. Below is a map for the period of June 7–20, 2021, indicating the COVID-19 risk level in each of the states and in the capital.

Some states have imposed restrictions that differ from the federal government’s status designations. For example, both Puebla and Yucatan have imposed yellow status restrictions; Puebla’s status is more strict than the federal government’s green status designation and Yucatan’s status is less strict than the federal government’s orange status designation. This chart presents the traffic light status of each state, and, as applicable, variations between federal and local traffic light statuses based on publications of the federal Ministry of Health and status reports provided by each state.

As of June 6, 2021, a total of 24,186,838 people had been vaccinated in Mexico; 14,172,467 (approximately 59 percent) had been fully vaccinated and 10,014,371 (approximately 41 percent) had received one of the two doses of vaccines.

Mexico City’s Monitoring Committee has moved the nation’s capital into green status, which means that throughout the month of June 2021, the capacity of commercial, educational, social, cultural, and religious activities will gradually increase. Although in previous reports the committee had indicated a capacity limit for private corporate offices, it did not set one for the current report.

Finally, Mexico City’s Administrative Verification Institute and other Mexico City government authorities will continue verification visits in order to verify compliance with the general and specific sanitary measures for health protection in the workplace. In the case of noncompliance with such measures, fines and/or the total or partial temporary suspension of the work center for up to 15 calendar days may be ordered.

Ogletree Deakins will continue to monitor and report on developments with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic and will post updates in the firm’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center as additional information becomes available. Important information for employers is also available via the firm’s webinar and podcast programs.