who are the first to enter

Uruguay is refining the details of the gradual opening of its borders to non-resident foreigners in this country after more than a year of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. Yes getting ready to receive tourists in summer, when the season is only a few months away.

Next Monday there could be government announcements, an official source told the EFE news agency.

According to the latest information, foreigners owning property in the country are the first to enter into a series of measures that Luis Lacalle Pou’s executive is preparing for reactivate the tourism sector, which has been one of the most affected during the pandemic.

The country’s borders continue to be closed to non-residents, with some exceptions for diplomatic, personal or economic and professional reasons, with the express authorization of the Executive.

Uruguayan Tourism Minister Germán Cardoso said last Monday at a press conference that a two-stage opening is planned, and the first will be that of foreign owners.

In the second stage, and if sanitary conditions allow, the entry of foreigners in general will be allowed, although in both cases all visitors should be vaccinated against covid-19.

Although the precise opening date has not yet been determined, it is estimated that these tourists will be able to enter the country from September.

“It doesn’t matter what they vaccinate, because you can enter Uruguay with any type (of drug),” he told local media. The observer the Under-Secretary of Tourism, Remo Monzegllio.

“Vaccine tourism”

Meanwhile, Minister Cardoso announced that unvaccinated foreign tourists will be able to take the injection upon arrival in Uruguay, as there is stock available until 2023, as indicated.

However, the government has announced that this third stage will be launched taking into account that the priority of access will be for the Uruguayan population, who reached this Thursday 63.45% of inoculated with two doses.

“This is a tool and a contribution that we are analyzing with the Ministry of Public Health and the Presidency of the Republic for which we do not have a precise definition, but we are evaluating it to the extent that we can take the previous steps, ”Cardoso reported.

Yellow zone

Uruguay remains in the yellow zone of the Harvard index, which cumulates the weekly average of new cases of covid-19 per 100,000 inhabitants, with a record 4.34.

Although all departments have active cases, three of the 19 – Rivera, in the north, Durazno (in the center) and Lavalleja, in the south-east – are already in green, according to the daily report of the National Emergency System (Sinae). .

Regarding vaccination, and according to the web monitor developed by the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), until 1:25 p.m. (4:25 p.m. GMT) this Friday, 315,444 people were vaccinated with only the first dose, while 2,277,909 ( 64.29% of the population) have already completed the vaccination schedule, with sera from the Chinese pharmaceutical companies Sinovac, the Anglo-Swedish AstraZeneca and the American Pfizer.

Uruguay also opened the agenda this week 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 officials.

Source: EFE and Télam

CB