Uruguay prepares to open its borders and analyzes vaccine tourism offer

The Uruguayan government plans to launch a process to reopen the borders in September, first with owners without residence in the country who are vaccinated and then with immunized foreign tourists, while analyzing the possibility of allow vaccination of tourists, amid a collapse in coronavirus infections, according to local press.

The authorities will formalize the measures at a press conference, according to official sources quoted by the Montevideo El País daily.

Among the initial plans, in September the entry of vaccinated owners who have no residence in the country will be allowed and a month later, “if all goes well”, the entry of vaccinated foreign tourists will be allowed, with two doses and 15 days following the vaccination, anticipated the Minister of Tourism, Germán Cardoso.

Likewise, Public Health Under-Secretary José Luis Satdjian said that the entry into the country of those who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus with the empty Sputnik V, although it has not yet been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Tourist crisis

The measures were adopted after proposals from several tour operators.

The president of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Uruguay, Francisco Rodríguez, said: “There is no going back. We are very beaten, fallen. But we have the will. “

Along the same lines, Alejandro D’Elía, president of the Chamber of Hotel Tourism Industry and head of the Chamber of Commerce of Maldonado, one of the most affected departments, said: “It is very difficult to endure another season without opening the borders. is not viable because domestic tourism is not the solution. “

Marina Cantera, president of the Uruguayan Chamber of Tourism, also said that companies are they got into debt and “many cannot reopen”.

Without haste

In this context, Cardoso explained that the reopening plan between the first and the second stage should include “a careful, serious and responsible period of a few weeks” to assess the health situation.

“The worst that can happen to us is to hurry and have to leave in high season of sun and beach; this is what we want the least”, underlined the Minister a few days ago, during his appearance before the budget committee of the Chamber of Deputies.

Coronavirus and vaccines

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Uruguay has totaled 382,360 infections (1,619 active) and 5,986 deaths due to the disease, according to the latest official report.

In addition, at the national level, there were 45 cases of the Delta variant.

Uruguay already has more than 65% of the population with both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and, in a few days, it will add a third dose for people immune to Sinovac, which puts the country first in the world and which authorities take into account when discussing the so-called “vaccine tourism”, that is, the possibility of applying doses against the coronavirus to strangers.

“Monday, August 9, we will decide,” announced President Luis Lacalle Pou.

This scenario, they told the government, would only materialize after all Uruguayans who so wish could receive their third dose.

“Today we have actions enough vaccines until 2023, “Cardoso told Parliament, adding that if this project materialized it would be close to the summer season.

Colorado Party MP Nibia Reisch, for her part, introduced an initiative that includes “vaccine tourism”, and said “it is likely” that this option will be on the schedule to be announced.

Reisch’s proposal establishes that tourists should arrive with a negative PCR and go “by safe-conduct” to an “all-inclusive” hotel where they would undergo a strict seven-day quarantine and could get vaccinated or coordinate their trip to the country. vaccination center.

Tour operators are the first interested in the opening of this route by the government and they believe in particular that the hotels are trained to provide the service and to quarantine those who arrive.