Could this be one of the more unusual travel news stories you’ll hear this week? A group of beautiful paradise islands off the coast of Brazil will reopen to tourists after being closed since March. But, there’s a catch. You can only visit if you’ve had COVID-19…
CNN reports that Brazilian authorities confirmed the news at a recent press conference.
The Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha is Reopening from Next Week…
“To land on the archipelago, the tourist will need to present the result of a positive PCR test that is at least 20 days old, or the result of the serological test showing the presence of antibodies against Covid,” authorities told a news conference on Thursday.
The statement added “In this first stage of reopening, only tourists who have already had Covid and have recovered and are immune to the disease will be authorised (since) they can neither transmit it, nor be infected again.”
A PCR test shows whether someone currently has the virus while the serological test shows whether you have already developed antibodies for coronavirus. Recent reports from Hong Kong however, contradict the Brazilian authorities reasoning and claim that reinfection of the virus is possible.
The archipelago is a group of 21 volcanic islands, home to some of the best beaches in the region. The entire archipelago of Fernando de Noronha is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s most popular with Brazilian tourists, with 90% of visitors to the islands coming from Brazil.
It’s unclear whether the islands will allow other types of tourists to visit at a later date. For now, either come on your own or round up anyone you know who has also had Covid…