the president of UruguayLuis Lacalle Pou, announced this Monday the decision to end the state of health emergency decreed in March 2020 by Covid-19.
After a meeting with the health authorities, and “based on the information received” regarding the evolution of the virus in the country, “we have decided to lift the health emergency,” the president said through his Twitter account.
“We are going to sign the corresponding decree in the next few days,” he added.
The Uruguayan Executive had declared a health emergency on March 13, 2020, when the first four cases of coronavirus in the country were known.
This framework allowed the government to implement a series of extraordinary measures to contain the spread of contagion, such as the closure of various activities or the suspension of public shows.
The vast majority of these measures have been relaxed in the last year, in which a successful vaccination campaign advanced, reaching a high coverage rate. 80% of the population has two doses against the Covid-19 and 64% have been inoculated with a third booster dose.
“It is time to take that qualitative but absolutely necessary leap towards normalization,” Health Minister Daniel Salinas said at a press conference after the meeting with Lacalle and before indicating what will change with the measure.
“For example, more (certain) capacity will not be requested in closed places. Shows, cinemas, event venues and gyms will have 100% capacity,” he said.
Likewise, he explained that the indication to use face masks in specific situations, “such as food processors, health personnel, closed places with a high concentration of people, or public transport”, will continue to be recommended but no longer mandatory.
The government had announced on Friday the decision to allow Uruguayans and foreigners vaccinated against the coronavirus to enter the country without the need to prove a negative test result. Covid-19.
The PCR or antigen test is still a requirement for Uruguayans and foreigners who have not been inoculated against the virus.
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