El Cuyo‘s town and beaches are open with standard precautions taken against Coronavirus. Conscious and respectful tourists are most welcome! Covid tests, isolation and quarantine measures are not required in Mexico at present. 

When entering shops, restaurants, hotels are other areas of enclosed spaces, face masks are required, antibacterial gel offered, and safe distancing encouraged. 

Mask wearing on empty streets or the expanse of beach is not enforced.

Be aware that El Cuyo is 99km from the nearest hospital, and that the clinic here has limited resources. For those needing Covid tests for their return flights home, these can be obtained in Tizimin, Valladolid, Playa del Carmen, Cancun or Merida. They are not available in El Cuyo. For more information on Covid testing, please CLICK HERE

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Life After Coronavirus…

What will the world look like after Coronavirus?

The negative impact on El Cuyo’s economy has been dramatic, but thankfully, the death toll remains low.

When we look at our future, we know pre-Coronavirus ‘normal’ wasn’t working for our planet…so why do we want to go back to that?

The global shutdown had the following positive effects:

• There’s less trash on the beach
• Lack of income meant fewer people used motorbikes/cars and more people on bicycles or walking
• People started to plant vegetables – maybe a sustainable El Cuyo is possible?

El Cuyo And Big Development

Will Coronavirus give El Cuyo the time it needs to save itself from developments that will dramatically change the town ambience? Investments such as the 5 storey apartment block that @gruposalach already have on sale…

High occupancy buildings will significantly increase the numbers of visitors to El Cuyo. Current accommodation options (low-level boutique hotels and residential houses) limit tourist volume. Too many visitors will have harsh consequences on the environment and the species present.

El Cuyo And Infrastructure

Additionally, investment in infrastructure and enforceable building regulations are required. Black water is an issue. Running water and electric supply are at maximum capacity already. Breaks in service are common during Mexican holidays. The garbage dump is constantly overflowing.

Hopefully, Coronavirus will give El Cuyo time to create plans to scale development.

The goal being accommodating visitors in a way that protects the beautiful fauna and flora, and the essence of this beautiful Mexican village…

Fingers crossed…time will tell…

***If this interests you, and you have experiences, knowledge or contacts to share that could help – please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.***

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PANDEMIC TIMELINE

March 15th 2020

“Festival de la Veda” suspended.

 

March 17th 2020 

Schools close.

Townspeople, the Comisario and the Tizimin government agree to quarantine until April 20th 2020.

This measure is to protect the people of this remote community – situated 99km from the nearest hospital.

March 18th 2020 #day1

Police install a roadblock. Locals help staff it.

Restaurants close or change service to ‘para llevar‘.

There is no panic buying. Some families don’t own a fridge – doing a big shop is not possible.

March 23rd 2020 #day6

Tizimin authorities ban all visitor movement.

Atendiendo tu sentir y con profunda conviccion, junto con el Cabildo, hemos tomado la decision, con absoluta responsibilidad, de que a partir de esta noche a las 23 horas, se cierren las entradas al municipio de Tizimin para evitar el ingreso del turismo nacional y extranjero, YA QUE NO SON VACACIONES Y HAY CONTINGENCIA

 

March 28th 2020 #day11

The Federal Government announces the population is to #quedateencasa.

Businesses related to tourism have closed due to lack of custom, or are only opening on weekends. Naia cafe is the exception and continues to open daily.

March 31st 2020 #day14

Mauricia Vila announces as of tomorrow Yucatan police will enforce:

1 – all non-essential shops and services to close immediately

2 – the population is only to leave their house alone to fulfil basic needs

 

April 1st 2020 #day15

Over 100 people meet at the town hall with the Comisario and the Secretary of Tizimin Municipio.

People accuse neighbours of smuggling tourists into town. Several rumours are proven false, but there’s a general consensus the town entrance is not being manned consistently.

People are scared.

“fear is more contagious than the most virulent virus”

The meeting generates 4 pages of action points:

• 2 townsfolk (on a rota basis) to join police at the town entrance
• Comisario to do a census of foreigners in town
• Foreigners can go to Tizimin one day per week to shop
• Police will photograph and give a stamp to anyone leaving town. Tizimin police will check stamps. To return to El Cuyo the stamp is required (and checked against the photo).
• Construction workers to register and leave ID at the entrance.
• Tizimin homeowners can check their houses (maximum 2 people) but can’t stay
• Anyone found smuggling people in will be asked to leave the town
• Health professionals will be allowed to pass
• Curfew of 10pm
• Dry law from Friday 3rd April

The town’s fears are appeased. The irony being that if anyone is infected, this meeting will cause a significant spread.

April 16th 2020 #day30

Tizimin municipal council give free basic food baskets to those most in need.

 

April 18th 2020 #day32

2 days of quarantine remain…

It’s been argued a quarantine is less effective than social distancing.

Quarantine stopped a tourist bringing the virus into this fragile community, but it didn’t stop the flow of El Cuyo residents. Tizimin has confirmed cases so it’s only a matter of time. 

Closing the entrance should have allowed time to prepare and change habits. Instead, it gave rise to finger-pointing and Facebook accusations.

Standing back from the next person in the street or inside a shop is an alien concept … Masks are only seen on the police and on delivery drivers.

El Cuyo is unprepared for Covid19… quarantine has led to a false sense of security…

April 20th 2020 #day34

Quarantine continues. A fear-mongering minority stir up discontent, gathering at the Comisaria -disregarding safe-distancing measures and face masks – and accuse the Comisario of letting people enter town. They steal the official town seal. 

The Guardia National is called to restore order. The Comisario files a complaint against the perpetrators.

April 24th 2020 #day38

‘Por Esto‘ newspaper publish a petition signed by 350 people calling for the Comisario’s removal. It states new elections will be called. Time will tell if this is true. 

May 3rd 2020 #day47

The government use a recorded loudspeaker message to disseminate Coronavirus safety measures.

Shops begin to take heed. They ask that shoppers wear masks and use antibacterial gel upon entering.

May 4th 2020 #day48

The President of Tizimin posts that the El Cuyo doctor (who’s from Valladolid) has Coronavirus.

Thirty minutes later, a lorry sprayed disinfectant throughout town.

And, the Fundacion de Pedro y Elena and MERFA gave their final free meals. Over four days they served a total of 1000 hot meals. Lack of food is more pressing an issue than Coronavirus.

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May 10th 2020 #day54

Yucatan has the 9th highest figures of the 32 states of Mexico.

Villages in Yucatan have built physical roadblocks with stones and rubble to stop anyone entering or leaving.

May 15th 2020 #day59

An evening announcement from the Governor of Yucatan.

School’s out till September! Regarding the economy, there will be a phased and gradual return to work.

June 1st 2020 #day76

Phase one begins.

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• Hotels will only be able to welcome workers and not tourists…
• Restaurants and hairdressers can open at 25% with reservations
• Religious gatherings, entertainment, sports, bars, commercial centres remain closed.

June 16th 2020 #day91

Dry law is over and the population can buy alcohol again. They do…

June 18th 2020 #day93

The fishing Cooperativo holds a party for 50+ fishermen with no social distancing. A fight breaks out and a policeman is injured. For the full article news article, click here

June 23rd 2020 #day98

The President of Tizimin confirms the first 2 cases of Coronavirus in El Cuyo.

The population takes the news with surprising calm…

July 2nd 2020 #day108

More cases are reported. Gossip abounds.

July 15th 2020 #day121

One step forward, two steps back. Dry law is in place again, as is 9pm-5am curfew.

July 31st 2020 #day135

Valerio’s, Casa Palma and Naia reopen with table service. All are using new security measures and have open-air seating. 

August 15th 2020 #day150

Tizimin’s President and Michelle Fridman (Tourism Secretary for Yucatan) meet in El Cuyo. They discuss how to safely reopen the entrance in an attempt to kick-start the economy.

Nothing is decided. The entrance remains closed.

August 28th 2020 #day163

Governor Mauricio Vila announces 3 weeks of declining Covid19 case numbers and a new plan for the reopening of the state’s economy. Relaxed measures will begin on 1st September along with the end of ‘Ley Seca’. 

We wait to hear how this will affect El Cuyo. Police roadblocks and rules for entry remain the same.

Town opinion is no longer in favour of staying shut. However, there is an understandable fear that a mismanaged opening of the entrance will risk further outbreaks.