Peru's Defense Minister Walter Martos on Thursday said that now is not the right time to lift the quarantine, due to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases across the country.
He explained that the possible lifting of such measure is being considered not only from a health point of view, but also from the economic and social standpoint.
"At this moment, the level of infection is still increasing, and there are a lot of people who have not changed their habits and behaviors to protect themselves from the virus. It is not the right time to
lift the quarantine, but we are evaluating this at the Council of Ministers," the government official said after participating in a security operation in downtown Lima.
Martos noted that from the security and defense point of view, this is not the "most convenient" time to lift the quarantine, although this possibility is being evaluated by all sectors, mainly the
Ministry of Health (Minsa).
In this sense, the minister called on the population to learn to live with the virus until the vaccine is ready, bearing in mind that the country is still experiencing high rates of community transmission.
"We must develop a prevention and protection culture, but many people have failed to understand this. They are outside irresponsibly, do not keep social distance, do not wear gloves, wear inadequate face masks, hold hands, and do not keep themselves clean, that is, all the measures we should have as habits and that many people have not internalized," he underlined.
Therefore, the defense sector's head warned that measures will be tightened if people do not understand the importance of self-isolation.
(END) JCC/CVC/RMB/MVB
Published: 5/7/2020