BRASILIA, Brazil ā Brazil will require international travelers who arenāt vaccinated against the coronavirus to quarantine for five days in their city of destination after arriving by plane.
The decision issued by the ministries of health, justice, infrastructure and the governmentās chief of staff was published in the nationās official gazette Thursday.
The administration of President Jair Bolsonaro, who is unvaccinated himself, will start enforcing the measure Saturday. It is unclear how effectively Brazil can or will track those required to quarantine.
The head of the countryās health regulator, Antonio Barra Torres, told The Associated Press that the policy will āmean discouragement of anti-vaccine tourism to Brazil.ā
The quarantine requirement āis a deterrent and educational measure,ā Torres said by phone.
Travelers coming to Brazil still need to submit a negative PCR test result before boarding in their country of origin and submit a declaration to the countryās health regulator.
Unvaccinated travelers will have to take a new virus test after the five-day quarantine period and must check in with a health agency center that will have their addresses.
Brazilās government announced the quarantine requirement as worldwide concerns grow about omicron, a new and rapidly spreading variant of the coronavirus, though it is not yet clear if it is more dangerous than other variants.
More than 616,000 people have died of COVID-19 in Brazil, the country with second-most deaths from the disease. The pandemic has waned in recent months and the nationās seven-day average is approaching 200 deaths a day.
Many of Brazilās major cities, including Rio de Janeiro, have either cancelled or scaled back their New Yearās Eve festivities due to fears of a new spread of the virus.
Rioās fireworks show on Copacabana beach is a major tourism draw, and Mayor Eduardo Paes said Thursday that it will take place as expected. The fireworks will be placed in 10 boats for a 16-minute-display.
āOf course there will be a gathering (for the fireworks),ā Paes said at a news conference. āGatherings are not prohibited in Rio de Janeiro.ā