- Title: Peru looks to restart economy after months-long lockdown
- Date: 3rd July 2020
- Summary: LIMA, PERU (JULY 2, 2020) (REUTERS) CAR CARRYING COFFIN VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING WITH COFFIN TO BURIAL SITE PEOPLE PLACING COFFIN IN BURIAL VAULT VARIOUS OF PERSON SINGING AT FUNERAL SERVICE CEMETERY
- Embargoed: 17th July 2020 17:01
- Keywords: Peru business cases coronavirus crisis deaths economy employment infections jobs lockdown pandemic quarantine
- Location: LIMA, PERU
- City: LIMA, PERU
- Country: Peru
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA004CL9B9ZB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: People walked in thick crowds though the downtown streets of Lima on Thursday (July 2), a day after Peru entered the final stage of its economic reopening, ending a months-long lockdown to try and contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Even with the crowds, shopkeepers said their own economic forecast was grim.
The government said in a decree that "phase 3" of economic reactivation, which includes 96% of production activities, will restart all mining activities, industrial sectors and commerce, though they must comply with health protocols for the pandemic.
Restaurants and shops will reopen to cater to a limited capacity of customers. Officials are also weighing health protocols for resuming domestic air and land transport.
"The goal is to revive the economy and create jobs," said President Martin Vizcarra, speaking at an event to announce the purchase of 400 ventilators from China.
At least 240,000 companies received an economic stimulus from the government to help them reopen, Vizcarra said.
Peru lifted its quarantine in 18 of its 25 regions after coronavirus infections began to slow, though its borders remain closed. It was one of the first countries in Latin America to go into lockdown in mid-March.
Peru had 292,004 coronavirus cases and 10,045 people had died as of Thursday (July 2) according to the health ministry, ranking it the second highest outbreak in Latin America behind Brazil.
(Production: Carlos Valdez, Patrick Alwine) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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