<p>SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico’s governor announced Wednesday that officials will start vaccinating all those 16 years and older beginning Monday, prompting celebrations across a U.S. territory facing a spike in COVID-19 cases.</p>
<p>Currently, only people 50 years and older as well as anyone 35 to 49 with chronic health conditions are authorized to receive a vaccine. More than 1 million vaccines have been administered since inoculations on the island of 3.2 million began in December.</p>
<p>During his first state of the territory address, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi also announced he would sign a new executive order implementing more stringent measures to fight a recent surge in COVID-19 cases. A curfew that has remained in place for more than a year was expanded and will run from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Friday. In addition, businesses will be forced to close by 9 p.m., two hours earlier than currently allowed.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, as in many other jurisdictions, we are seeing a dangerous spike in COVID cases that has caused a rise in hospitalizations and deaths,” he said.</p>
<p>Pierluisi also announced that his administration would establish a genomics surveillance program in the island’s Health Department to help officials monitor coronavirus variants and possible mutations.</p>
<p>The upcoming changes come as Puerto Rico reports more than 199,000 confirmed and suspected cases and more than 2,000 deaths.</p>
