MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Vaccine passport reportedly coming up in Uruguay soon but no official announcement yet

Cardoso favours vaccine passports but other alternatives are possible.

Uruguay's Tourism Minister Germán Cardoso Wednesday raised again the issue of vaccination certificates for foreign travellers to “guarantee the sanitary status” of the country.

Cardoso however insisted during a radio interview there is no final decision yet on the matter and other measures such as rapid covid-19 tests are under evaluation.

The minister pointed out that Argentines and Brazilians are the main tourists entering the country. Together they represent 70% of all visits. He admitted to having discussed the issue with President Luis Lacalle Pou out of concerns regarding the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in both neighbouring countries.

Cardoso said he also hoped a smartphone app from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which will function as a kind of health passport, will become available soon.

And he was hopeful the scenario will change for the better in June, healthwise, so plans for the second half of the year can be made differently.

Uruguayans that already received the immunization can access a digital certificate on the website of the Public Health’s Ministry. Authorities advisors are considering this digital document to be used to allow people to eat inside a restaurant (those who do not have it should sit at the tables outside), stay in hotels, go to clubs, cinemas, theatres, cultural or religious events, or even participate in weddings.

Uruguay has vaccinated 42,17 out of 100 inhabitants (1.478.512 doses), which means the third country of the continent behind the US and Chile.

Tourism Undersecretary Remo Monzeglio had said earlier this week in a newspaper interview that he foresaw a health passport active within the next two months, which is consistent with Cardoso's comments.

The new document would be linked to IATA and made available locally through the government's CoronavirusUY application.