Early in January, our state moved from Green to Yellow on the traffic light scale. What does this mean to you?
The reason we have moved from Green to Yellow is due to an increase in Omicron Covid cases in our area. We do not want to move backwards, so please wear good-quality masks when you are indoors and try to stay at least 6 feet away from other people. This will help to stop the spread and get us back to green faster.
Being in yellow means that there will be a reduction in capacity at hotels, historical sites, restaurants, gyms, theatres, etc. Basically, any venue will now have a capacity of as little as 60%. This does include the beach. Lucky for us our beach is huge, which makes social distancing easy.
We do recommend making reservations for your favourite restaurants now that seating is limited. We are having a busier than usual high season and we don’t want you to be disappointed when you can’t get a table or have to wait in line. Contact information for most places can be found here on our Puerto Morelos Restaurant Guide.
Capacity limits apply to transportation too. Taxies are allowed a maximum of 3 people and this includes the driver. That means that if you are a group of 4, you may need to take 2 taxis. You can see all the taxi rates here. Private cars are only allowed a maximum of 4 people. Collectivos and buses are restricted to 50% occupancy.
We don’t know exactly how strictly these rules will be enforced. Your best bet is to continue with the following rules that are in place at this time. You will likely find they are very similar to what you are used to at home (except the disinfecting mat, we are not sure what that is all about).
Here’s what you can expect when you visit Puerto Morelos during Covid:
- You must wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth when you are within 1.5 meters (5 feet) of other people.
- You must wear a mask when you enter or are standing inside any business.
- You can take your mask off only when seated in a resturant.
- When entering a business you will have your temperature checked, gel will be offered for your hands, and you will walk across disinfectant floor mat.
- You should practice social distancing as much as possible.
- You must self isolate and get tested should you come down with any of the symptoms of Covid-19.
- You must wear a mask inside public transport (ie Taxis, buses, collectivos)
Many ask, “Do I have to wear a mask when I go to the beach?” You should wear a mask when you are walking to the beach if you are near people. Once you are at the beach, most people take their masks off as long as they stay at least 1.5 meters away from other people, outside of your family/group. Our beach is very large making it very easy to social distance.
Do you have to wear a mask when you are walking around the town? You are supposed to wear your mask anytime you are off your property, but most people only wear one when other people are nearby.
At restaurants, you may be required to order some food with your drinks. It is a town law that restaurants/bars are following so that they can be open. Please check with each establishment to see what their policy is before you order. Many restaurants and bars have had to pay heavy fines or face closure for trying to bend these rules, so please don’t blame the owners or staff. It is not up to them. Also, many restaurants must be closed and dark by 11:00 pm. Some places have paid extra fees to the government to stay open later. If you are arriving late to an establishment you may want to check their closing hours before you order.
A lot of us think this move back to yellow is a caution from our state governor to all of us to take more precautions as omicron moves through. Personally, we are being more careful about keeping our distance and have upgraded our masks to N95 or KN95 type. We choose to dine outdoors whenever possible, which is very easy to do in Puerto Morelos.
Now you know what to expect when you arrive in Puerto Morelos. We think you will find that it is probably not much different from your hometown. Puerto Morelos is a small town, with lots of wide-open spaces and fresh air, so we do believe that you can have a very nice vacation here this winter. We and the whole town will be very happy to see you!
If you would like to join us this winter, we have had a very RARE cancellation at Casa de los Viajeros. Suite #3 is open from February 23 to March 19, 2022. If you are interested, contact us today!
We do recommend that before you leave home you purchase health insurance and vacation/trip interruption insurance. Should you test positive, it is up to you to make your own quarantine arrangements as there are no government facilities here.
And last of all. You may need to take a COVID TEST before returning home. You will find everything you need to know about that here. Have a safe and happy stay in Puerto Morelos.
