Uruguay prepares its plan to open borders and expectations grow in the tourism sector

Luis Lacalle Pou’s government is working on different stages for the reopening of borders in Uruguay and in the tourism sector are with expectations for a reactivation of the article. They even offered to facilitate migration logistics.

The sustained decline in COVID-19 infections has prompted authorities to start planning to open borders and boost tourism, a sector hard hit by the pandemic.

Among the measures that have already started to be taken, this Wednesday an increase in the capacity of the lounges has been announced and it was confirmed that at August 20 the public will return to indoor football, with capacity and strict sanitary measures, according to the local newspaper The country; who also published that the churches’ request to expand their capacity to 50% is still under consideration.

Regarding borders, the Uruguayan Presidency told the aforementioned newspaper that Lacalle Pou has already met the Minister of Health, Daniel Salinas; and with that of Tourism, Germán Cardoso, to define the plane on which we are still working. They say they will meet again on Monday to finalize details and then hold a press conference to announce the decision.

As rebuilt The country, until now, we know that the first allowed to enter will be foreigners who have residences in Uruguay and who are vaccinated, a measure that would come into force in September. Then it would continue in a phased manner and in several stages.

According to Telemundo, Cardoso said that the first phase will allow them “analyze behavior“From the virus.” If the contagions continue well and consolidate on the downside, we will give way to the second step, which will be to open the borders to foreigners of any nationality who have no property and want us to visit, ”he explained.

The expectations of the Chamber of Tourism

The president and the Minister of Tourism met this Wednesday with the executive board of the Chamber of Tourism, chaired by its president, Marina Cantera.

Cantera told The country that the proposals revolved around three axes: connectivity, sector support measures and ideas to stimulate tourism consumption.

“Businesses are asleep and just getting started after a year and a half of lethargyCantera told the aforementioned newspaper and said he has requested an extension of unemployment insurance until March.

Regarding the entry of Argentine tourists, Cantera admitted that the situation in the neighboring country “is complex”, For what “making projections is difficult“And prefer to be careful about it.” “We are clear that Argentines will not cross in droves, no matter how much we open the borders“, He expressed.

157 new cases and three deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours

Uruguay registers this Wednesday 157 new cases in 13,540 COVID-19 tests and three dead, according to the daily report of the country’s National Emergency System (Sinae).

Based on this information, the South American country adds 381,994 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the health emergency, which in Uruguay was declared on March 13, 2020, including 1,812 people with the disease, including 44 admitted to intensive treatment centers (ICS).

Until, there are 5,979 deaths from this disease. Two 90-year-old men died that day, one in Montevideo and another in Río Negro (southwest), and a 77-year-old woman in Artigas (northwest).

Uruguay remains in the yellow zone of the Harvard index, which accumulates the weekly average of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and, although all departments have active cases, three of the 19 (Soriano, Flores et Lavalleja) have already been found in green.

Regarding vaccination, and according to the web monitor developed by the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), more than 323,000 people were vaccinated only with the first dose, while more than 2,257,000 (63.71% population) have already completed vaccination. calendar of Chinese pharmaceutical companies Sinovac, Anglo-Swedish AstraZeneca and American Pfizer.

Uruguay opened the agenda on Tuesday for those who – after being immunized with Coronavac or AstraZeneca – choose to receive a third dose, in this case of Pfizer, as approved last week by health authorities.

KEEP READING: