Despite COVID-19, Celestún municipal authorities say they are ready to welcome visitors to beaches and restaurants over the Easter holiday.
“Visitors to Celestún will be required to wear a mask and use antibacterial gel. It is important that everyone be considerate so that families can safely enjoy their holidays, but also in order to reactivate the regional economy,” said Mayor Yulma García Casanova.
Celestún’s beach is a popular destination for people looking to cool off in the ocean or enjoy some good seafood, especially during the holidays.
Yucatán’s state government said Tuesday that officials would be closing down Progreso’s boardwalk over the Easter holidays while they continue measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Earlier: Boardwalk in Progreso to shut down over Easter holidays
Ultimately it may not be up to individual municipalities to decide if beaches are allowed to remain open. Yucatán’s Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal may choose to sign an executive order to supersede local directives.
Speculation was rampant online that the news would be followed by reports of further beach closures.
Chatter on social media indicated that it makes little sense to close some beaches while allowing others to remain open, as it is likely to cause further crowding.
“The unfortunate aspect to all of this is the financial impact this will have on the businesses along [Progreso’s] boardwalk. Most of these folks who work at these restaurants rely heavily on the extra income during the holidays,” a Croatian national living in Chicxulub commented on Facebook.
As of Wednesday, Yucatán has reported 34,553 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 3,269 deaths.
