El Presidente Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-cuba-cautious-reopening-tourists.html JUNE 12, 2020 Cuba plans cautious reopening to tourists Credit: CC0 Public Domain Cuba is planning to welcome tourists with COVID-19 tests and limit their contact with locals as part of a raft of measures designed to get its vital tourism industry back up and running. The government of President Miguel Diaz-Canel said it would gradually open up the economy in the next weeks, with a particular focus on recovering tourism dollars lost to the lockdown. Foreign tourists, the lifeblood of Cuba's economy, will be restricted to a well established string of coastal resorts to limit contact with the local population in a country, where Diaz-Canel insisted, the coronavirus pandemic was "under control." Havana and the rest of the country will be initially be reserved for local tourism. The island, with a population of just over 11 million, registered its first cases of COVID-19—three Italian tourists—in March. It reported only eight new infections on Thursday. So far Cuba has reported 2,219 COVID-19 cases, with 84 deaths. But the pandemic shutdown has throttled the economy, and the government is eyeing the early revival of tourism, worth $3.3 billion in 2018. Masks obligatory "Unlike other countries, Cuba already had a crisis by the time COVID-19 arrived," said economist Omar Everleny Perez, citing economic collapse in Venezuela and strengthening US sanctions. "And tourism, which was a good economic driver, has been at zero for the last three months," he said. The lockdown forced Havana to slash imports by 75 percent in the first quarter, according to official data The result is that long lines of Cubans outside stores, hoping to stock up on food and toiletries, have increased amid worsening shortages. The Communist-run island's emerging private sector, invested largely in the tourism and restaurant sector, has been severely affected by the pandemic. GDP is set to contract 8.3 percent this year, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. Cuba "is now entering a state of post-COVID recovery, which is aimed at returning to the best possible normalcy," Diaz-Canel said Wednesday. But caution prevails. "There will be no abrupt opening in the first phase," warned Prime Minister Manuel Marrero. He emphasized that Cubans will have to inch their way out of lockdown, and that face masks will have to be worn outdoors. Although there has been no official word, international flights are not expected to begin until August 1, forcing Spanish company Evelop to cancel several flights tentatively scheduled for July. 'Take care' When flights resume, tourists will have to undergo medical checks on arrival and have their temperature taken. Health checks will also be a feature of stays, and hotel occupancy will be limited to allow for social distancing measures. With the race on to capitalize on the European and North American summer season, Cuba's competitors in the Caribbean have taken the lead in welcoming back tourists. "Cancun and other beach resorts in the Mexican Caribbean—one of Cuba's main competitors—resumed activities today," Havana economist Pedro Monreal pointed out on Twitter. Several Caribbean states have already opened up to tourism, while Jamaica and the Dominican Republic plan to do so by July 1. Cuba is struggling to stay in the game. On Wednesday, Spanish hotel chain Melia published a promotional video showing employees disinfecting its hotels in Cuba and promising tourists would be "safe" there. State tourism entity Cubanacan struck the same tone on Twitter, talking up reinforced "sanitary hygiene standards." Clear plastic panels are being installed in hotel reception areas to avoid people coming into direct contact, and hotels are moving restaurant tables to create more space and adding gel dispensers at elevator entrances. The tourism ministry's new advertising campaign is a sign of the country's new normal: "Take care of yourself." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habana Mike Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Here is what I am hearing from on the ground. In other words what the Government is communicating to the Cuba people. These are the measures that will be implemented as of today when our president speaks at 6:00 pm and the opening begins !!! Advances: 1. The use of the nasobuco is compulsory in places where there is a concentration of people. 2. The use of the nasobuco is compulsory in all health institutions. From the family medical office, the polyclinic, the dental clinic, the laboratory and especially the hospital. 3. Beach hours 7 am to 12m. 4. Gastronomy and alcoholic beverages on the beaches are prohibited. 5. Outdoor sports allowed, wearing the nosepiece for when they enter places where there is a concentration of people. 6. The closed and heated gyms will turn off these weather equipment and will receive 50% of the athletes usually hired. 7. Night bars prohibited 8. The palates will receive 50% of their capacity and will not use the climate equipment, avoiding having the premises hermetically closed. 9. The buses will pick up passengers only in sitting mode. 10. The markets will maintain the regime of a minimum of consumers within them. 11. The hotels that can be exploited will be those that do not have tours to the cities included. In other words, tourists will enjoy the beaches or the mountains, without leaving these facilities. 12. The work centers that already have determined the workers who have demonstrated to be able to work in the modality of work at home, will keep them in this modality without affecting their salary. 13. Schools will divide classrooms in the morning and afternoon 14. Cinemas and theaters will be closed for now. 15. Sports competitions will study the possibility of developing them in open places. If it is impossible because the discipline prohibits it, 50% of the spectators will be allowed to enter. 16. Work will be done to definitively develop the virtual market 17. Hotel services for all residents will be charged in currency, using the bank accounts that have been set up for the purchase of household appliances and food. 19. Banks will seek ways to stimulate the opening of bank accounts and the use of remote financial obligation payments. 20. Efforts will be made to create wholesale markets for the particular sector and the products offered therein will be sold in foreign currency. 21. Polyclinics and hospitals will maintain independent access for cases of respiratory diseases. This will avoid possible infections between patients with different conditions. 22. Markets will be open from 9 am to 7 pm 23. Freshwater pools will not be allowed at this time. Unlike salt water, the virus can develop in this medium. Any measure that helps distancing will be very important and each citizen will be responsible for their actions. Hygiene measures will be permanent as well as health care by eliminating smoking, moderate alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy diet and playing sports. This thanks to Osvaldo in Santa Suarez. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 Sounds like a hoot ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habana Mike Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Yeah, that last one really gets me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 2 minutes ago, Habana Mike said: Yeah, that last one really gets me! Hygiene measures will be permanent as well as health care by eliminating smoking, moderate alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy diet and playing sports. Yep.......in visits to cuba I am batting zero on those four requirements 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madandana Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 I think I’d rather visit my proctologist ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StogieSteve23 Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 12 hours ago, El Presidente said: Hygiene measures will be permanent as well as health care by eliminating smoking, moderate alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy diet and playing sports. Yep.......in visits to cuba I am batting zero on those four requirements HA, facts! The vast majority of us on this forum wont go for these reasons alone ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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