Island population and tourism workers 100 percent vaccinated with Biontech/Pflizer
Puerto Ayora, Galapagos/Frankfurt, 23 June 2021. Ecuador’s Ministry of Health and the National Civil Protection Agency COE have given the all-clear for the Galapagos Islands. As of last week, 14-21 June 2021, the islands are Covid-19-free. In addition, the population of the islands and the tourist staff of the expedition ships and hotels etc. have been completely vaccinated against Covid-19 with the vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer. A negative RT-PCR or antigen test is still required for entry. Furthermore, from 1 July 2021, the travel plan check will be carried out when applying for the transit card. Private supplementary health insurance remains compulsory. For entry into Ecuador, Covid-19 vaccinated and recovered persons are on an equal footing with PCR or antigen-negative tested persons. The tests must not be older than 72 hours from the time of collection.
Ecuador is no longer a risk area for many countries
Last week, the USA downgraded Ecuador from level four to level three (the same as Germany) and no longer advises against travelling to Ecuador. The same applies to many European countries, including Switzerland, for which Ecuador has not been a risk area for many months. The current infections have been below 50/100,000 for weeks. “It is and remains unclear why the RKI classifies Ecuador as a high-incidence country. This in no way does justice to the current situation in the country. Ecuador has so far managed very successfully to live with the virus and protect its population through strict hygiene protocols.
The vaccination campaign is showing good results on the mainland. Here, priority is also given to vaccinating tourism workers,” explains Beate Zwermann, Executive Director of Galapagos PRO. Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso has announced that the adult population will have been vaccinated by the end of August. “The demand for the Galapagos is back. We are seeing a lot of enquiries from the DACH market. We also have a booking backlog of almost one and a half years to clear,” Zwermann continues. Demand from the USA has also risen sharply.
Information on Galapagos PRO:
The specialist tour operator Galapagos PRO has made the island archipelago in the Pacific and Ecuador bookable online. More than 270 different itineraries, 58 ships (including eight diving ships) on the Galapagos Islands can be booked individually. Also in the programme are Amazon rainforest lodges, rental car and bus tours on the Ecuadorian mainland as well as flight bookings, last-minute cruises and combination tours with Peru and Chile. Further information on Galapagos PRO and booking options can be found here: www.galapagos-pro.com.
Partner: Charles Darwin Foundation – www.darwinfoundation.org/en/