Cuba will relax travel restrictions in November

The Cuban Ministry of Tourism announced in a statement that pandemic restrictions on tourists will be lifted effective November 15. The announcement comes as the island works to halt a recent increase in COVID-19 infections.

Officials credited progress in Cuba’s immunization program, which officials believe will see “more than 90% of the total population finish vaccination schedules” by November.

“Sanitary hygiene protocols will be relaxed” upon passengers’ arrival, according to Ministry officials, with protocols focusing on “symptomatic patient surveillance and temperature-taking.”

Furthermore, diagnostic tests will be administered at random, and PCR testing will no longer be required upon arrival. Cuban customs agents will now recognize vaccination certificates issued by other countries.

According to press sources, Cuba recorded 7,230 new, confirmed COVID-19 cases and 85 deaths in 24 hours on Monday, bringing the country’s total to 696,904 cases and 5,788 deaths among its 11 million residents.

Cuba uses locally made coronavirus vaccines Abdala and Soberana, which are not recognized by the World Health Organization but have shown a 90% efficacy rate in local clinical trials.

Visitors to Cuba must submit a health statement, get a Cuba Tourist Card from their airline, show verification of a negative PCR test result obtained within 72 hours of arrival, and take a PCR test upon arrival.

Travelers to Cuba are also prohibited from engaging in strictly tourism activities and are only permitted to visit the nation under one of 12 categories, including support for the Cuban people.

Visitors must also obtain travel insurance that covers COVID-19 and remain quarantined in their hotels until test results arrive. Cuba resumed scheduled commercial flights in November 2020, with Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport reopening after a more than seven-month suspension due to the pandemic.

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