Mauritius has announced its national Covid-19 vaccination campaign. The country hopes to achieve herd immunity in the near future, which requires most of its population (potentially as much as 80-90%) receive a vaccine. As the vaccines are voluntary, an information campaign has also been launched to inform the country’s population about the vaccine and encourage its uptake.
Mauritius is partially open to tourists, with its ‘Premium Visa’ for long-stay visitors such as remote workers and retirees. It promises them an idyllic, Covid-safe environment with few disruptions to daily life – although strict sanitary measures are still being maintained as a national priority. The visa is for a renewable period of one year.
It is anticipated that, in time, vaccinated visitors will be granted free access to the country.
Currently, all visitors must quarantine themselves for 14-days in a hotel when entering the country. It is anticipated that, in time, vaccinated visitors will be granted free access to the country, while non-vaccinated visitors will be required to observe the quarantine period.
Mauritius’s request for vaccines has been approved by Oxford/AstraZeneca and Pfizer, with an initial consignment expected through the COVAX facility. The country is also investing in specialised equipment for detecting Covid-19 variants.
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