Uruguay is a South American country with a population of 3.5 million, but a land area similar to Missouri. The World Bank praises it for its culture of equal rights and opportunities, and high income per capita. It also boasts a low level of inequality and poverty, and the almost complete absence of extreme poverty. So why then was Uruguay headed for a record COVID rate of infection?
What Went Off the Rails to Cause the Uruguay COVID Surge?
Uruguay’s COVID infection rate is still a cause for concern according to Medical Express. The situation was already becoming alarming by April 13, 2021. That’s because the previously slightly-affected country was close to registering the most new daily cases per capita in the world. In fact, the first half of April accounted for a third of all Uruguay’s COVID infections.
Uruguay’s pandemic began in March 2020, when travelers from Italy and Spain arrived with the infection. The country closed its borders after a 500-person wedding became a super spreader event. This enabled Uruguay to avoid large outbreaks for a considerable time. Then in December 2020 there was a surge in transmissions in the nation’s capital, Montevideo.
What Happened As Uruguay Headed for a Record COVID Rate
Uruguay introduced emergency measures, including suspending enclosed sport activities, and introducing teleworking in public offices. It also closed restaurants after midnight, and cancelled end-of-year parties. But it started relaxing those restrictions again in late January 2021. And then it reopened its borders to citizens and resident foreigners.
The surge restarted in mid-March 2021, as Uruguay once again headed for a record COVID rate The government announced tighter measures, when it learned the variant first seen in Brazil was spreading. Those policies are helping. However, the government is relying on China’s Coronavac vaccine to bring things finally under control. But Medical Express says this was only about 50 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 during trials.
Uruguay’s President Luis Lacalle Pou continues to reject all suggestions of lock down, or quarantine. He stresses the importance of personal responsibility. ‘It’s a matter of principle,’ he says. It’s an unfortunate fact viruses don’t work that way.
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Preview Image: Daily Uruguay COVID Cases
