MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Face masks stay but all other COVID-19 measures lifted in Paraguay

The Government will now focus on vaccination

Paraguayan authorities Tuesday announced all COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted except facemasks and vaccination.

“Paraguay returns to normal little by little! The sanitary measures implemented since March 2020 by the Executive Power are formally lifted. Let's continue wearing masks, as the law requires us. Let's continue with vaccination, which is the best way to take care of ourselves,” President Mario Abdo Benítez wrote on his Twitter account.

Effective from midnight Wednesday, all sanitary measures will cease to apply except for masks, which must be worn both in closed and open spaces.

Presidential Chief of Staff Hernán Hutteman explained in a press conference that this decision had been reached in light of the improved epidemiological situation.

The measures include capacity limitations to all venues, the requirement to maintain ventilated spaces and encourage hand washing, among others, in shops, work centers, schools, universities and gastronomic venues. The restrictions also applied to social, sporting, religious and even family events.

Huttemann insisted, however, that the mandatory use of facemasks would remain in force for all indoor spaces and even for those outdoor ones “where distance cannot be kept.”

The official also insisted the Government would now focus on “encouraging vaccination,” which he considered was “key” to getting out of the pandemic. “The only way out of this is vaccination,” he said.

However, Health Surveillance Director Sandra Irala, told ABC Color it was not about the end of the measures, which health authorities will continue to recommend, but about the sanctions derived from their non-compliance.

The number of COVID-19 infections has been declining steadily for the past two weeks in Paraguay. According to the latest report, 18,237 deaths have been recorded natiowide due to COVID-19 since March 7, 2020.