COVID-19

DR has been using Covishield the AZ vaccine made in India so far and not the European made version. The balance of the 2 million Covax AZ vaccines will be Covishield when a date for receipt is known. No idea where the ordered 10 million AZ vaccines will come from whenever.

On the other hand, he clarified that the Covishield vaccine from the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, which is being applied in the country "is not the same one that is being questioned in Europe for adverse reactions."

"Here we are vaccinating with Covishield, manufactured in India," Rivera said.

Curfew remains as is, until April 15th but tougher over Easter with good Friday earlier start to curfew at 7pm and alcohol sales ban.

Hours will be varied at Easter

https://eldia.com.do/horario-sera-varia … ana-santa/

The government ordered a variation in the curfew schedule for April 2, 3 and 4 (Holy Friday and Saturday and Easter Sunday), as an exceptional measure due to Holy Week.

During that weekend the curfew schedule will be from 7:00 at night to 5:00 in the morning, with three hours of free transit for people to move home.

Until Holy Thursday the schedule will remain the same, from 9:00 at night and free transit until 12:00 at midnight.

Alcohol-free

The Executive provisions contained in Decree 171-21 establish that on the Easter weekend the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption in public and private places for public use is prohibited, while for the tourism sector it provides that the activities continue to be regulated through its sector protocol.

The current measures for the state of emergency are in force until April 15, and contemplate the same provisions of mandatory use of a mask, social distancing and frequent hand washing, as a way to avoid contagion.

This is a big deal for many.   No sales of alcohol from  Thursday night until  Monday morning.

It will be interesting to watch the enforcement

There has been loads of media coverage and fanfare over the delivery of the one miilion doses of Sinovac vaccines due to arrive on a charter from China this afternoon at SDQ  (with an additional 50,000 doses of donated Sinopharm vaccine). Even flight tracking.

But the reality is that there needs to be another 10 such weekly deliveries - 10 million more shots - during April and May and early June of the President's much publicised target is to be met - of vaccinating 80% (of those wanting to be vaccinated).

I am doubting it.

Surely, we'll read about it when the delivery arrives.....

My 2nd is April 3rd.....done!!

Yes those million doses arrived and 9 million more( = 4.5 million people x 2 jabs ) are needed in next 9 weeks to hit the 80% of those wanting vaccination (about 7.5 - 8 million). It wont work unless they come a million at a time regularly from now on in that period and keeping enough in reserve for second doses for the last 3 weeks patients (1.5 millionish).

Hopefully a million more next week.

My second on 4th April and that will be a huge relief after a year of such uncertainty.

DR may go the route Canada is - 16 weeks between shots so that more can get the first shot. Read somewhere that many other countries are looking at those countries adopting the extended period between shots.

A simple survey:

1) Will you get the vaccination when it is available for you?  Yes or No
2) Do you have a preference which vaccine you will take?  Yes or No

This might help some people decide what to do as it is a very important decision to make.

P.S.  There are no right or wrong answers.

1) Yes
2) No

I have been vaccinated.... first shot rec'd
Others here have too

P.S.  There are no right or wrong answers.

Now that comment is funny!

1)Yes
2)Yes (but doesn't necessarily mean I would NOT get a shot that wasn't my top choice)

I am not sure if I am in the right category but my May 1st return flight to Toronto was cancelled yesterday due to on going Covid concerns. Air Canada and the Trudeau gov't imposed a 90 day ban on flights to and from Sun destinations including the D.R. Mexico, etc. that expires on April 30th. I have not heard of an extension to that ban but I just got off the phone to Air Canada at the Mexico City call centre and they are suggesting the first available flight back to Toronto is June 5th.

Does anyone have any information on an extension to the travel ban?

You can fly from SDQ to YUL

1) Yes
2) No

Canadian flights ??
Are you sure ?

I have heard the same up here. Not sure what else is happening. Waiting for more (and) reliable info vice vice just one source reporting. As they ramp up vaccines they are stepping up controls - it is thought they are trying to look "strong" and call an election.

Where is YUL?

It is Montreal

I thought Canada had stopped all Caribbean & Mexico flights for a while

Flights to, not from.

Well, let's see, based upon 3 responses 3 people will get the vaccination and 2 people are not concerned about which vaccine.  1 is concerned about which vaccine.

...anyone else?

I will get one of the vaccines...eventually.  I'm in no rush, having survived the US 1976 Swine Flu Vaccine tragedy of 1976, with, what, 300-500 dead.  No need to rush, at all.

My strategy is simple:  let everyone else be the guinea pigs.  Based on what we learn over the spring, I reckon I'll decide by mid-summer. 

Sorry to disappoint sinovax proponents, but no, I won't get the Chinese or Russian vaccines.  Of course, they're not available in the US, but even if I were in the DR, I'd get a different vaccine.  Even if I had to fly back to the mainland to do so.

Canadian Airlines Betting on Travel Restart May 1

https://www.traveloffpath.com/canadian- … art-may-1/

No good news here:

COVID-19 transmissibility increases in the DR, going from 1.5 to 2.5, according to Public Health advisor

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … FF25203978

The COVID advisor to the Ministry of Public Health, Eddy Pérez Then, explained that the country registers a "slight increase" in the transmissibility of COVID-19, for which he urged the population to continue with the sanitary measures that have been established against the virus.

Pérez then indicated that the R0 or virus transmission rate, that is, the number of people that an infected person can infect, increased this week, going from 1.5 to 2.5, a worrying situation for the Ministry of Health.

In epidemiology, the basic reproduction number of an infection is also called basic reproduction rate, basic reproductive ratio and denoted by R0, r sub-zero.

“Worrying, because that tells us about the mobility that the population has had and that, possibly, the transmission rate can be a thermometer and a red flag for what could happen, in case we continue with the same trend, this Easter, ”he said."

India temporarily halts Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine exports

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56513371

EU moves toward six-week vaccine export cut

https://www.politico.eu/article/commiss … trade-war/

Main vaccination centers against Covid remain closed

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … n-cerrados

It is beginning to look like the vaccination plan is on hold with just second doses planned over the coming weeks and no information on the next one million doses from Sinovac to start new vaccinations.

Now add the probability that no vaccines will arrive from AZ nor Pfizer until May or even June from India, Europe and USA and the outlook with a possible third wave here after Easter with high current R value could be bleak.

They had a good plan but without vaccines it matters not, and the controls will have to continue for a longer time than hoped.

That is the reality for developing countries and it's expats.

Hhmmm.  There's a lot I don't understand here...at least as it relates to personal experience. 

1.  We just back from 10 days in SD/LR.  We never so much as heard a single person cough or sneeze. (Except my wife, who sneezed a few times from allergies, and myself sneezing after getting some brine up my sinuses while snorkeling.)
 
2.  Ditto for the previous 11 days in Panama City and along Panama's Pacific Coast. 

I guess being in the tourista bubble kept us sheltered from reality. 

OTOH, we drove past several SD night spots on Friday and  Saturday evenings.  Big crowds spilling onto terraces and sidealks, lots of maskless mingling going on. 

Interesting dichotomies.  I wonder what the demographics look like?  Ages and sex, income and education levels, etc..


Jim

No curfew with nightlife?

We didn't go out to bars, nightclubs or dance clubs while there, so I can't claim to be an expert.

But the time we passed those locations was probably 6:30 to 7:00 pm in the evening.  A little early for the normal crowd, I'm sure, but with an 8 pm curfew, IIRC, they were making do with what they had.


Jim

Curfew applies to all business except inside resorts.  But even they have limited gatherings.

They prohibit parties, concerts and events in hotels and tourist places on Easter weekend

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … HH25222500

The Ministry of Tourism reported this Thursday the prohibition of parties, concerts or events that involve crowding of people within hotel or tourist establishments and orders to keep the discos located in those places closed.

In the case of the beaches within the hotels, only activities that do not involve the use of music or crowds can be carried out and always respecting the due distancing.

By planning and coordinating actions between State security agencies, the Ministry of Tourism will supervise in tourist destinations compliance with the special resolution for the sector, thus protecting citizens and all visitors.

The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, explained to the country the provisions contained in Resolution DJ-007/2021 , regarding the measures that will govern the sector this Easter 2021.

Minister Collado was accompanied by the Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Carlos Luciano Díaz Morfa, as well as the General Commander of the Dominican Navy, Vice Admiral Ramón Gustavo Betances Hernández, and the Director General of the Specialized Tourist Security Corps (CESTUR); Rear Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester.

Also present were the director of the Command, Control and Communication, Computer, Cybersecurity and Intelligence Center (C5i) of the Ministry of Defense, and the general commanders of the Air Force and the National Army and the general director of the National Police, Major General Edward Ramón Sánchez González.

Collado highlighted the importance of compliance with the measures established by the Ministry for April 1 to 4, 2021, which correspond to Thursday, Friday and Saturday and Sunday of Holy Week.

"Given the reopening of tourism, it is a priority to carry out all tourist activities in a responsible and measured way, protecting people who use tourist services in the country, through the use of sanitary measures that are necessary for this," he said. Collado.

Minister Collado affirmed that the non-adherence or non-compliance with the measures provided in the National Protocol for Health Risk Management against COVID-19 of the Tourism Sector or those established by this Resolution, by hotel establishments, restaurants and Other tourist service providers, and especially, the violation of the distancing measures, non-crowding and use of masks, will lead to the Ministry of Tourism taking the measures for their immediate sanction, in accordance with the law.

National police and military deployment

During the activity, it was reported that during the Easter holiday, some 38,000 police and military personnel will be deployed to protect the population. Of these, there will be about 25,582 policemen and more than 12,000 military personnel.

"Supervision will be maintained in hotels and complementary activities in tourist destinations, for which a Comprehensive Supervision and Inspection Plan is being prepared, together with all the institutions present here to make our recreation and leisure spaces safe places in these days where a large number of national and foreign visitors are expected, ”said Collado.

The Defense Minister reiterated the support of the Armed Forces for compliance with the special provisions for tourism and reaffirmed his commitment to the country and the sector.

It also reported that more than 12 thousand military personnel (4,004 from the Ministry of Defense, 5,000 from the National Army, 1,750 from the Dominican Navy and 2,200 from the Dominican Republic Air Force and 1,300 from CESTUR) would be supporting the control and supervision measures. derived from Resolution DJ- 007/2021.

Díaz Morfa referred to the duty and responsibility that all people and entities that provide or carry out tourist activities have to prevent, control and reduce all risks during this holiday season and urged the entire value chain to comply with all protocols of security.

The Resolution establishes a group of measures that include:

The prohibition of parties, concerts or events that involve an agglomeration of people within the hotel or tourist establishments, and the discotheques located in said places must be kept closed.

In the case of the beaches within the hotels, only activities that do not involve music or crowds can be carried out and always respecting the due distancing.

I am in a resort right now and they are preparing to be full and they already know there will be no control. Swim up bars open tomorrow.  Staff think the measures are a joke because they say no one will enforce anything.

I had come to this conclusion after my reading -
nice to see it supported

https://youtu.be/K3odScka55A

It appears you can buy alcohol at supermarkets over the coming long weekend. But only drink at home or private areas and not in bars, beaches, parks and public places.

On Good Friday the sale of alcoholic beverages to take away will be allowed

Interior and Police call merchants to abide by measures arranged for Easter

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … DA25343154

The Ministry of the Interior and Police (MIP) reported that as of this Good Friday and until Easter Sunday, only businesses will be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages to take away , as provided by decree 171-21 of President Luis Abinader.

The information was released by the director of the Alcoholic Beverages Control Program (COBA), José Payano, who explained that during those three days the consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited in public and private places and establishments for public use, such as parks. , beaches, restaurants, grocery stores and bars.

Similarly, the sale of such products with the purpose of being consumed in said spaces is prohibited.

"Any establishment may sell alcoholic beverages during these days, as long as they are to take away or to be delivered at home," the official said.

"Establishments that do not comply with the measures will be sanctioned with several days of total closure. In addition, the violation can also imply financial penalties ranging from one to ten minimum wages, ”said Payano.

Like so many issues with covid19, the long term effects of catching the virus and surviving are only now beginning to be understood.

COVID-19: 1.1 million in the UK recently reported having long COVID

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-1-1 … s-12262530

Next wave after the Easter crowds?

Seems the police had a hands off approach over Easter and there were crowds and parties all across the country.

Las Terrenas looked like one big festival with zero precautions being taken.

Curfew did not exist here in the campo as city folks mixed with locals until the wee hours drinking and partying.

Hospitals are ready according to Vice President.

testing has been down  and  positivity going up.  Who knows what the real numbers may look like.

Santo Domingo was the place to be during Semana Santa. But now all the vacationers will be bringing the  virus back with them again!

Another wave would not be a surprise.

Another extension of 45 days coming for state of emergency. Deputies approved the President's request today.

I expect they extend current curfew.  Our numbers are climbing and the new versions of the virus are here.

I'm scared to see the impact on Las Terrenas from the hoards of people partying here last weekend!

We all need to be worried about covid19 getting worse and not better unless one lives in a very few countries with access to vaccines and good vacciation rates:

COVID-19 infections and deaths on the rise worldwide

The only exceptions to the deteriorating situation are countries with advanced inoculation programs, especially Israel and Great Britain.

https://www.diariolibre.com/usa/actuali … PA25528700
Hospitals in Turkey and Poland are filling up. Pakistan is restricting internal travel. The United States government will send more aid to Michigan, the state with the highest increase in coronavirus infections in the country.

The global rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths includes Thailand, which has weathered the pandemic much better than many nations, but is now struggling to contain it.

The only exceptions to the deteriorating situation are countries with advanced inoculation programs, especially Israel and Great Britain. The United States is also seeing an increase in new cases despite being a global leader in vaccinations, and the Banking House said Friday it would send federal assistance to Michigan to control the rate of infections in the state, the worst in the country.

The World Health Organization indicated that infections are increasing in all regions of the planet, driven by new variants of the virus and because in many countries the population left confinement too early.

“We have seen increases (in cases) around the world for six weeks. And now, sadly, we are seeing increases in deaths in the last three weeks, ”said Dr. Margaret Harris, WHO spokeswoman, at a press meeting in Geneva.

In its weekly epidemiological update, the WHO indicated that more than 4 million cases of COVID-19 were reported in the last week. New deaths were up 11% compared to the previous week, with more than 71,000 reported.

The increase in infections, hospitalizations and deaths extends to countries where vaccination is finally gaining momentum. That makes the prospects even worse for much of the world, where large-scale inoculation programs remain a distant reality.

For its part, Brazil has the second highest total of deaths in the world after the United States. In Sao Paulo they have had to carry out nightly burials to cope with the demand, and school buses have been used to transport coffins. With the rate of vaccinations already slow - less than 3% of the 210 million Brazilians have received the two doses, according to the research portal Our World in Data - some state governors have expressed concern about the supplies.

Only about 9% of Dominicans have had their first dose of a vaccine which for the majority is only effective after about two weeks after the second shot.

DR had over 500 new cases today, over 1000 yesterday and a day positivity over 14% today with over 37k active cases. Getting worse again? Jury out.

The post Easter is beginning to show.

Day positivity yesterday was 19.49% with few tests carried out.