COE withdraws the obligation to present a vaccination certificate against COVID-19 upon entry to airports in Ecuador | Ecuador | News

The national Emergency Operations Committee (COE) decided to withdraw the obligation to present the vaccination certificate against COVID-19 when entering airports, at the national level, but to maintain the presentation of the document for non-essential activities.

Juan Zapata, president of the national COE, mentioned this Thursday that the Ministry of the Interior has been asked to generate and strengthen operations in activities considered non-essential through the municipalities.

He added that the entity also ratified the resolution of April 28, 2022 in which the removal of the mask in Ecuador was decided.

He recalled that the COE ordered, in 2020, that the 221 municipalities generate a rule to sanction the non-use of the mask in public spaces because it is their competence.

With the decision to withdraw its use, each of these local governments is responsible for reforming or canceling the regulations that had been issued.

He added that 98% of the cantons have accepted this government resolution.

“The voluntary use of the mask is already in each one of the people. What this resolution of April 28 does (is) that no person has to be sanctioned for not wearing a mask in public space, ”he said at a press conference.

The official said that in the last three holidays there were more than $170 million generated in the economic sphere and more than one million one hundred thousand Ecuadorians mobilized.

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The Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, -who participated in the press conference- mentioned that each of the airlines will request the vaccination certificate depending, above all, on whether they are trips abroad since each nation has different regulations.

According to Garzón, the epidemiological indicators are on the decline and eight days after the government decision to withdraw the mandatory use of the mask due to COVID-19, there has been no rebound in cases.

He added that viral positivity nationwide remains at 5%.

In addition, it is the tenth consecutive week in which the only variant present in Ecuador is the omicron.

Government makes official that from today in Ecuador the use of the mask is no longer mandatory; more than 200 restrictive resolutions remain without effect

Before the start of classes in the Costa-Galapagos regime, scheduled for this Friday, May 6, 2022, the Deputy Minister of Education, Andrés Chiriboga, stated that the masks are for voluntary use in open spaces and closed places.

It is mandatory to use in the event that there are respiratory symptoms, but it is ruled out that it is COVID-19.

The decision must be made by the parents or legal representatives, added Chiriboga, who also participated in the discussion with the media. (I)

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