Juarez begins mass spraying of disinfectant to battle virus spread; El Paso has no plans to do so
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico -- Officials in the city that has been the hardest hit in Chihuahua state by Covid-19 are taking more aggressive steps to fight the spread of the virus. The Juarez virus death count stood slightly above the century mark Thursday as the case count continues to grow.
The city of Juarez is now spraying high traffic areas with a chemical mixture of hydrochloride mixed with water in hopes of cleaning surfaces plagued with the virus.
Officials at the international ports of entry have also begun taking temperature checks and sanitizing pedestrian travelers entering the country.
"I think its a good measure, to have these sanitizing tunnels and temperature checks, by doing so you’re making sure folks are healthy,” a Juarense resident near the border said.
ABC-7 asked El Paso Mayor Dee Margo if it would be taking similar measures as its' sister-city is doing.
"I haven’t seen any need and Dr.(Hector) Ocaranza (the City/County Health Authority) would have to advise us on it if there were some kind of mass cleaning that needed to be done," Margo said.
But Dr. Ocaranza believes preventing the spread of the virus has more to do with personal accountability than the use of chemical products.
"Every city does what is best for them," the doctor said. "What we feel would be best for the El Paso community is that we all take personal responsibility and everybody start cleaning their own house a little bit better and that will stop the spread to other households."
