Hotel occupancy on the island is at 20%-30% of normal levels. Travelers should avoid all travel to Puerto Rico. Starting on April 28, travelers who do not show proof of a negative Covid-19 test upon their arrival will be fined $300 unless they submit a test result within 48 hours. • Be dedicated to rendering services in the travel and tourism industry in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, including, but not limited to, hotels, resorts, time-sharing, glamping, hostels, bed and breakfasts, condo-hotels, guesthouses, tourism villas, Posadas, Paradores, tour operators, tour The women, who were staying at an Airbnb in San Juan, threw their drinks at the resident’s face and told her to speak English. “Or they say, ‘Why should I get vaccinated if I can still catch it or have strong side effects?’” (She tells them she got the shot herself and felt fine. Silva says the police close the streets around the area on weekends, making it hard for Ubers or taxis to pick up tourists after bars and restaurants close. SAN JUAN, P.R. Now, Puerto Rico is under curfew from 12am to 5am and indoor establishments can operate at 50% capacity as the newly elected governor, Pedro Pierluis, has increasingly been easing restrictions since January. Puerto Rico never closed its main international airport amid the pandemic despite requests sent to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to bar flights from COVID-19 hotspots. With restrictions having relaxed, Bolivar admits hotels have experienced issues with some guests, but said many incidents, such as large gatherings and excessive noise, occur mostly in Airbnbs. Puerto Rico … The Guardian tried to reach Sanders’ lawyer for comment, but the number for his office was disconnected. “The situation is stabilizing,” he said. Puerto Rico has reported relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, according to Johns Hopkins' data. In response, scientists and physicians like Dr. Ramos, who is the president of the Puerto Rico College of Physicians and Surgeons, begged the public to follow masking and social distancing rules and urged elected officials to tighten pandemic restrictions. Puerto Rico's plans to encourage more tourism from the U.S. mainland have backfired as the number of COVID-19 cases has spiked at the same time that the island has attracted more visitors — … “There must be a very measured, very prudent approach to these types of decisions.”. It isn't that Puerto Rico doesn't welcome tourism. August 24, 2020, 9:09 AM PDT. “Some hotels were questioning their survival,” says Bolivar. Some mayors have adopted additional restrictions, including closing beaches. Italy’s school-dropout crisis has gotten worse during the pandemic. “We’ve seen fights, parties in the rooms and aggressive behavior.” Puerto Rico Just Had Its ‘Worst Moment’ for Covid-19, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/23/us/coronavirus-puerto-rico.html. But contact tracing suggests many of the new infections have come not directly from tourists, but from Puerto Ricans going to work, restaurants and shops in person, public health experts say. Read our full post on: Is it safe to visit Puerto Rico during COVID? Low-cost flights to Puerto Rico have enticed many travelers to choose the island as a vacation spot during the pandemic. ), Lucía Santana Benítez, 52, who lives in a public housing complex in San Juan and runs a nonprofit group to feed her neighbors, caught the coronavirus last year, as did her son and husband. Porto Rico : toute l'actualité en direct, les événements, l'économie, la politique, les analyses, des photos et des vidéos pour rester informé en continu toute la journée Jim Wyss. Correa, who is also a bellman at the hotel, has seen a surge in American tourists coming to the US territory in the last three months and the hotel has been busy. Puerto Rico’s new governor, Pedro Pierluisi, ... island has struggled since to maintain a healthy balance between keeping locals and tourists safe from the threat of COVID-19, and restarting its tourism industry, which is a crucial part of the local economy. The numbers have been worrying for more than a month, epidemiologists were sounding the alarm and nobody was paying attention.”. Associated Press. About 1.65 million people — about 31 percent of the population — have received at least one vaccine dose, according to a Times database, which relies on statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In February, one video showed tourists assault a woman in a wheelchair after they were told to wear masks. Long lines formed to receive unemployment benefits. Overall, Puerto Rico … “We’ve asked the police to help keep everyone distanced and look for an alternative for this area,” says Silva. “I’m nervous about myself, and for the friends and family I surround myself with, because I have no idea where this person who doesn’t want to wear a mask is coming from.”. Sounds like Puerto Rico. A COVID-19 test has been required since July 15 in order to travel to Puerto Rico but starting April 28, there will be a $300 fine imposed if someone arrives without proof of a negative COVID … Surging virus variants push the Philippines over a million total cases. “The government relaxed restrictions around January and February — it opened the economy completely,” said Mayor Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz of Villalba, a town in south-central Puerto Rico. Travelers will face a $300 fine beginning April 28 if they touch down in Puerto Rico without a negative PCR test done within 72 hours of arriving, according to Puerto Rico’s tourism … If you must travel: Before you travel, get tested with a … “The moment you stop hearing about all the cases, you stop hearing about the importance of preventing contagion. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and is excluded from the CDC requirement to provide a negative Covid-19 test to enter or return to the mainland U.S. Travelers entering Puerto Rico … Some children were dehydrated after the coronavirus gave them high fevers, Dr. Ramos said, but others had the inflammatory syndrome that afflicts some children with Covid-19. “It might be the worst moment we’ve been through this past year.”. Dernière mise à jour : 13 avril 2021 22:42 ET Toujours valide : 20 avril 2021 21:30 ET Dernière mise à jour : L'onglet Santé a été mis à jour - conseils de santé aux voyageurs (Agence de la santé publique du Canada) Format à imprimer With spring break coming up and the spread of new variants still on the rise, Discover Puerto Rico is encouraging travelers to participate in outdoor activities, such as visiting El Yunque national rainforest or the beaches. Fox News - There could be trouble in paradise for travelers arriving in Puerto Rico without proof of a negative COVID-19 test. “The executive orders implemented by Wanda Vázquez put the hotel industry under threat,” said Joaquín Bolívar, the president of Puerto Rico’s Hotel and Tourism Association. “So much public attention turned to vaccination,” she said. Pedro R. Pierluisi shut down in-person instruction at schools because of the virus surge. 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