Argentina to launch green pass for mass events

Saturday, November 27th 2021 - 21:51 UTC

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The pass would be processed through the CuidAR application or “a PDF [digital document],” the minister said.

Argentina's Health Minister Carla Vizzotti Friday announced during a press conference that the country was eyein a green pass of its own as cases of coronavirus have been reported to be growing over the past few weeks.

The document would be required at large-scale events, Vizzotti said.

“The meeting was previously agreed, but as it passed we learned about the news of the new omicron variant,” Vizzotti said at the beginning of the conference.

She also insisted the pandemic was not over: “Until all countries have access to the vaccine a new strain can emerge, and this is what is being seen and analyzed in the world.”

When asked about the current situation of the coronavirus in Argentina, she replied that “we have a favorable epidemiological situation with a stable number of cases despite having 90% of cases of the Delta variant and high circulation.”

“We have to minimize the possibility of entering this variant [Omicron], which is more transferable than the previous ones,” she added.

The Health Ministry envisions a health pass for the most risky activities, massive events and in closed spaces, for those over 13 who have the complete [vaccination]scheme,” Vizzotti explained.

In charge of implementing the health pass would be provincial governments, said Vizzotti who also asked for “patience” before all the details could be announced.

The pass would be processed through the CuidAR application or “a PDF,” the minister said.

Vizzotti also recalled the World Health Organization (WHO) had labeled the Omicron variant as “worrying,” due to which flights into the country by Ethiopian Airlines have been put on hold. “We were going to restart flights with a direct airline, Ethiopian Airlines, in mid-December. We're going to put that off,” Vizzotti announced.

After the outbreak of the Omicron variant, travelers reaching Argentina from African countries must do mandatory quarantine for 14 days.

Regarding vaccination, Vizzotti promised that “December will be the month of the third dose, starting with health personnel and continuing with older adults.”