“Those who break the isolation will have criminal consequences”

President Alberto Fernández spoke this Thursday on the national network to explain the health emergency decree issued due to the coronavirus.

During the speech, he affirmed that “those people who break the isolation will have criminal consequences,” referring to the mandatory quarantine that applies to those who arrive in the country from the countries classified as “affected areas”.

Fernández reported that these areas affected by the pandemic are “all the countries of Europe, the United States, South Korea, Japan, China and Iran, and that” all flights from these areas are suspended for 30 days. “

However, he advanced that the State will ensure the means to “facilitate the return” to the country of the Argentines that they are in those destinations.

He also stressed that care for those over 65 will be extreme.

“In a situation of generalized alarm, the role of the State is essential to prevent and provide protection to the population“said the head of state, adding that” a present state is the best way to care. “

Addressing the country in a message by national chain, the president stated that “this pandemic calls as a society, the State, the provinces and municipalities.”

“We are going to continue monitoring the progress of this pandemic to take the necessary measures,” said the president.

Likewise, it confirmed that the national State had an “extraordinary allocation of $ 1.7 billion” to mitigate the coronavirus.

The President spoke after the signing of the Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU) which extends the health emergency for one year and orders the suspension for 30 days of international flights from the areas most affected by the coronavirus, among other measures prevention.

Details of the health emergency decree

Alberto Fernández signed this Thursday a decree of necessity and urgency that extends the health emergency to one year and orders the suspension for 30 days of international flights from the areas most affected by the coronavirus, among other preventive measures to deal with the pandemic.

The decree, which empowers the Health portfolio as the authority for its application and commits it to providing daily reports, implements “mandatory isolation” preventively for 14 days for those who already have a diagnosis of coronavirus, who have arrived at the country from the “affected areas” and those who have the status of “suspected cases” or have maintained “close contacts” with these people, reported from the Presidency of the Nation.

The tables of people with “fever and one or more respiratory symptoms (cough, sore throat or respiratory distress) and who” also have a history of travel to ‘affected areas’ or have been in contact with confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 “.

“The definition may be updated by the health authority, depending on the epidemiological evolution“, is clarified in the information released by the Government.

It also establishes that “in the event of non-compliance with the indicated isolation and other obligations established” by the presidential decree, officials, health personnel, personnel in charge of educational establishments and authorities in general are empowered to “become aware of such circumstance, to file the criminal complaint to investigate the possible commission of the crimes provided for in articles 205 and 239 and related to the Penal Code. “

Those who arrive in the country having passed through “affected areas” are obliged to “provide information on their itinerary, declare their domicile in the country and undergo the least invasive medical examination possible to determine the potential risk of infection and the preventive actions to be taken which must be fulfilled, without exception, “he adds.

“Foreigners not resident in the country who do not comply with the regulations on compulsory isolation and with the sanitary measures in force may not remain in the national territory, except for exceptions provided by the health or immigration authority, “it was reported.

So far, “all countries in Europe, the United States, South Korea, Japan, China and Iran” are considered “zones affected” by the pandemic, although it is subject to daily updates according to epidemiological developments.

In addition, the “suspension of international passenger flights from the affected areas” is provided for 30 days, and it is specified that the “international and national means of transport operators, operating in the Argentine Republic, will be obliged to comply with sanitary measures and preventive actions that are established. “

On massive events, the decree opens the possibility of having the “closure of museums, sports centers, game rooms, restaurants, swimming pools and other places of public access” and the “suspension of public shows and all other massive events”, in addition to imposing “safety distances and other necessary measures to avoid crowds.”

The Government informed that “people who present symptoms compatible with COVID-19 must immediately report said situation to health providers” and that the “infringement of the measures provided for” in the decree will lead to “sanctions that are applicable according to current regulations, without prejudice to the corresponding criminal complaints “, contemplated in the Penal Code.

“The infringement of the measures envisaged will give rise to the sanctions that are applicable according to current regulations, without prejudice to the corresponding criminal complaints to determine the possible commission of crimes of public action,” added the decree.

Both the Health and Productive Development portfolio are also enabled to “set maximum prices for alcohol gel, chinstraps” and other “critical supplies”, at the same time that they will be able to adopt the “necessary measures to prevent their shortages”.

Finally, the Ministry of Health will provide daily information on the “affected areas” and the epidemiological situation.

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