Brazil’s health minister plans to abolish masks and test for vaccinated tourists by the end of the week -newspaper

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga told Metrópoles newspaper Wednesday (30) that by the end of this week, they plan to officially recommend the abolition of the mask requirement and the cancellation of the Covid-19 test for vaccinated tourists who want to enter Brazil.

“By the end of the week, we will deliberate on Anvisa’s position on the issue of borders and the wearing of masks in public places and at work. We will harmonize these measures already being implemented in states and municipalities,” Queiroga said, acknowledging that the “trend” is to release masks and covid tests.

Health care professionals and others: Groups of people exposed to large numbers of people during their workdays, such as supermarket cashiers, bus pickup workers, and health care professionals, should continue to wear the protection even if it is not required.

The position of the national health regulator Anvisa cited by the minister is a technical note published on March 23 in which the agency recommends revising regulations for travelers entering Brazil.

The main change is eliminating the Covid test for vaccinated tourists entering by air and quarantine for those who have not yet been vaccinated.

Queiroga told Metropoles that at the moment, there is no prediction of when the ministry will downgrade the status of Covid-19 in Brazil from pandemic to endemic, a decision that the binder has already studied and that President Jair Bolsonaro supports. “We are working prudently. The president wants results,” said the minister.