‘We Call for Calm’: Mexico’s Restrained Response to the Coronavirus

As recently as Friday morning, Mr. López-Gatell said the administration would wait for the appropriate moment to order more severe, and more widespread, measures to control the possible spread of the virus.

“If these interventions are done too soon, the only thing that happens is that they are applied when they are not useful, and when they have to be applied, there is already an economic and social wear and tear,” he said. “So, we ask, we call for calm in this regard.”

By Friday night, however, the number of confirmed cases had shot up. The federal government was spurred to take more robust action, and health officials called for the suspension of “nonessential services,” including seminars, classes, forums and other small-scale events that have a low economic impact.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/sports/soccer/soccer-mexico-coronavirus.html