Germany has given the green light for its citizens to visit the Dominican Republic once again. Before the pandemic, more than 270,000 Germans a year had regularly visited the country. The new push from Germany comes in contrast to the new Travel Advisory Level 4 Warning issued by the US State Department advising against US travelers to visit the Dominican Republic. The US Center for Disease Control is also advising against travel to around 80 countries, many that like the DR, had previously been in Level 3.
President Luis Abinader celebrated that Germany has removed the Dominican Republic from its list of Covid-19 risk zones. He made the point the announcement is especially welcome since the US is telling its citizens not to travel here.
Effective from Sunday, 25 April 2021: “Regions that are no longer considered as risk areas for Germans are: Antigua and Barbuda is no longer considered as risk area. The Dominican Republic is no longer considered as risk area. Finland – the regions Etelä-Karjala and Kymenlaakso are no longer considered as risk areas. Ireland – the region West is no longer considered as risk area. Norway – the county Vestfold og Telemark is no longer considered as risk area. St. Lucia is no longer considered as risk area.”
Germany’s travel advisories are in four categories: Areas of variant of concern, high incidence areas, risk areas and regions that are no longer considered as risk areas. The Dominican Republic is now a “region that is no longer considered as risk area” for German travelers.
On the other hand, the US State Department explained that the updates of its travel advisories are to “more closely align with health authorities’ recommendations. The United States government, now under President Joe Biden, is on a nationwide campaign to reign in the spread of Covid-19 in the United States. The efforts show better results after a 2020 when the United States showed the worst performance in care for the disease, reducing deaths and the spread. As of United States has a record of 1,762 deaths per 1M population, compared to the Dominican Republic with a record of 316 deaths per 1M as of the 24 April 2021 Covid-19 bulletin.
The US CDC establishes four advisory levels: exercise normal precautions, exercise increased caution, reconsider travel and do not travel.
The US State Department explains the updates of its travel advisories last week saying these seek “to better reflect CDC’s science-based travel health notices” and “also considered logistics like testing availability and travel restrictions for US citizens.” The advisories overall discourage Americans from traveling abroad.
The updated travel advisories now include Mexico and Canada in the Americas.
Vice President Peña announced that in response to the good news from Germany, all tourism and hotel staff, regardless of age, are being given priority for vaccinations in the National Vaccination Plan.
The Vice President tweeted on 23 April 2021: “Backing the decision of Germany to remove the DR from the list of Covid-19 infection risk areas, we proceed to open the vaccination centers all staff employed in the national tourism sector. We take care of our people and also those who honor us with their visit!” stated the Vice President.
At present, the country is vaccinating all 60+, the military, police, health care workers, teachers and those 60+ with health vulnerabilities.
Vice President Peña is in charge of the nation’s Health Cabinet that oversees the health sector, including Covid-19-related actions.
The continued advances in the inoculation drive depend on the availability of the vaccines. So far, around 10% of the population has been vaccinated. Only large batches have been delivered by the Chinese Sinovac firm that has sold and sent 1.5 million vaccines. This has enabled the DR to get a head start and the country is leading in vaccinations in the Americas.
Vaccines purchased to the US pharma company, Pfizer and those through the WHO/Covax facility have yet to be delivered as contracted. President Luis Abinader recently complained during the Iberoamerican Summit of Heads of State and Government in Andorra of the hoarding of the vaccines by the producing countries.
Read more:
Government of Germany
RKI Germany
Vice President Raquel Peña twitter
Financial Times
Our World in Data
US News
NPR
US State Department travel advisories
El Dia
25 April 2021