Traveling to Uruguay During Covid-19: What You Need to Know Before You Go

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – If you’re planning a trip to Uruguay, here’s what you’ll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the global coronavirus pandemic.

The basics

Uruguay successfully kept a lid on Covid-19 cases at the start of the pandemic, but has seen a rapid rise in infections in the second wave, and is sacrificing its summer tourism season in a bid to control the virus.

What’s on offer

Often overlooked by tourists in favor of neighboring Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay is one of South America’s loveliest countries. Montevideo, the coastal capital on the River Plate, is perfect for strolling, while the wild Atlantic coast has some of South America’s most impressive beaches.

Who can go

No visitors, as of yet. Uruguay announced in November that it will remain closed to tourists until March 2021, meaning its entire summer season will be lost. Only Uruguay nationals and permanent residents can enter the country, as well as those traveling for family gatherings, diplomats, working truckers, or those traveling for urgent business purposes, who must apply in advance for permission to enter. Cruise ships can only dock in Montevideo to refuel and resupply — passengers cannot disembark.

What are the restrictions?

Returning nationals and permanent residents must show proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure and provide a sworn statement confirming the absence of symptoms. They must also confirm that to their knowledge they have had no contact with any Covid-positive patients in the past 14 days.

All arrivals must undertake seven days of quarantine, at which point there is the option to take a further PCR test, and be released if it is negative. Those who do not wish to take a second test can quarantine for 14 days instead.

All arrivals must also have insurance covering treatment for Covid-19.

What’s the Covid situation?

While deaths stand at just 330 as of January 20th, the situation appears to be worsening after months of appearing to have the virus under control, with more than 33,000 cases since the pandemic began, and more than 8,000 active cases — the most since the start of the pandemic.

The rise was initially blamed by some experts on domestic tourism, which many had hoped would help save the beleaguered economy at a time when foreign visitors are not permitted. However, news of the new Brazilian variant (there’s much border traffic between Brazil and Uruguay) could also explain the rise in cases.

The discovery of the Brazilian variant also means that Uruguay has gone from a low-risk country welcomed by most others in the world, to being banned even by Sweden and the UK, which have notoriously high death rates.

Source: CNN