Temporary Closure of Commercial Establishments and Natural and Legal Person Companies in Panama

By Executive Decree No. 500 of March 19, 2020, the temporary closure of commercial establishments and natural or legal person’s companies have been ordered throughout the national territory, with the exception of:

1. The entire production, distribution, marketing and sales chain of:

a. Food: food processing plants, packers and distributors, supermarkets, hypermarkets, grocery stores, and packaging companies.

b. Medicines and hygiene products (Drugstores)

c. Security equipments.

d. Construction materials (Hardware stores, manufacture and distribution of gas and water tanks).

e. Veterinary and agricultural supplies

f. Maintenance, operation and distribution of medical equipment companies.

g. Manufacturers of packaging and supplies of all the sectors above listed.

h. Printshops.

i. Laundries.

2. Everything related to maritime, land and air transportation, logistics and the Panama Canal, such as airports, services and repairs to ships, aircraft, ports, customs brokers, Panama Subway (Metro de Panamá), MiBus, transportation companies that have been hired to mobilize employees of companies included in the curfew exceptions, transportation service companies and workshops, wood export transportation, transportation of fuel and gas, maintenance of cars and auto parts, fuel and gas stations.

3. Everything related to security (private security).

4. Lawyers in the exercise of the defense of people arrested during the curfew period.

5. Restaurants only for home delivery or take away orders.

6. Fuel distribution, supply and transport companies.

7. Everything related to Banking, finance, cooperatives, insurance and other financial services. Including providers of electronic transactions, checks and images processing to financial institutions.

8. Companies that provide public services:

a. Communication Transportation.

b. Call Centers.

c. Gas stations and all companies in the supply chain of liquid and gaseous fuel.

d. Light and electric energy.

e. Industry of generation, transmission, distribution and operation of energy.

f. Cleaning companies.

g. Provisioning and distribution of water destined to serve populations.

h. Sanitary.

i. Hospitals.

j. Private clinics.

k. Veterinary clinics.

l. Funeral homes, cremation rooms, cemeteries.

9. Construction industry including manufacturing, distribution and dispatch of concrete, cement and its derivatives, quarries.

10. Agricultural industry including agricultural work. As well as the Agri-Food Industry, including food and beverage distribution centers.

11. Medical-hospital equipment, medications, vaccines and any other items and public health supplies, including manufacturing, suppliers and maintenance thereof.

You may access the Executive Decree here