Brazil health regulator says time to ease COVID travel restrictions

A woman wearing a protective mask, looks through the window of a bus at the central bus station in Brasilia, Brazil February 16, 2022.

Brazilian health regulator Anvisa recommended on Monday that COVID-19 travel restrictions be eased due to a drop in cases and deaths, requiring only full vaccination and doing away with quarantine for unvaccinated travelers.

People entering the country who have not been vaccinated will still need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result, but quarantining will be eliminated immediately.

Travelers' health declarations used for tracing COVID cases will no longer be required, with immediate effect, while testing for vaccinated travelers will be suspended from May 1, Anvisa said.

Its recommendation must still be approved by the Health, Justice and Public Security, and Transport ministries.

Cruisers and cargo ships will still be subject to quarantine if COVID-19 cases are detected aboard and must remain in isolation when docked, with only health authorities allowed to board them, Anvisa said.

Brazil reported 9,923 new cases of coronavirus and 77 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said. The pandemic peaked a year ago when more than 3,000 people were dying each day on average in the South American country.

Source: Reuters / Reporting by Anthony Boadle; editing by Richard Pullin