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The conjectures for 2022 about what Omicron modality of Covid-19 will do to tourism in the American continent raises several criteria, one of them is that whether or not a “peaceful coexistence” will be possible.

An unquestionable factor for the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is that there is already “light at the end of the tunnel” about the control over the pandemic from what it calls a “coexistence” of the world of travel and hospitality with coronavirus.

An analysis of the CTO published on its website highlighted a “positive” spirit in the regional tourism industry despite the uncertainty caused by the appearance of the “omicron” that would still be far from dissolving.

The organization’s experts took for their study the circumstances of the last 18 months of combating Covid-19, which “have shown their resilience in creating recovery strategies.”

He praised the frequently updated travel protocols and collaborations with regional and international partners in the areas of health and support and economic development.

The entity cited statistics from the third quarter of 2021, when there was 5.4 million tourist arrivals to the Caribbean, almost three times the arrivals of the same period in 2020, but still 23.3% below 2019 levels.

However, around the start of 2022, CTO caught on to the doubts that seem to continue to grow. He recalled that the effects of the new variant are negatively affecting international travel.

For its part, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned about the spread of the pandemic, which it considered too rapid.
“Cases in the American continent have almost doubled and experts estimate that the spread of the virus will continue to increase,” warned the organization, whose criteria seem crucial and objective as it is a very important part of the war against the pandemic.

However, at one point the CTO and PAHO agreed that the American continent and especially the Caribbean are facing the rebound in cases better than in the past.

PAHO showed as an example that the mortality rate is lower because several nations already apply booster vaccines against the virus.

Its director Carissa Etienne pointed out another fact that does not allow specialists to clearly state that it will continue to happen with the pandemic in 2022.

“Infections rapidly accelerated during the holiday season, reaching levels of transmission never seen before during this pandemic,” she said during a virtual conference.

Another figure Etienne cited is indisputable. The region recorded 3.4 million cases after hearing the New Year chimes on January 1. A week later it rose to 6.1 million on January 8, almost double.

The guesswork becomes more hopeful when a high vaccination rate, including booster doses, is found in a country. However, they pale when the number of citizens who do not want to be vaccinated is very high in a destination.

PAHO statistics assure that close to 60% of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean has already received the complete vaccination schedule. The other 40% that have not been at very high risk of contagion.

There are 10 American countries that have not yet reached 40% of population vaccinated. The calls for inoculation are getting louder.
Etienne considered that a goal is “to have 70% of the population vaccinated by June 1” and for this it will be necessary to expand vaccination campaigns and “have greater access to vaccines,” she said.

In this part of the world, the United States has the most cases and Paraguay and Argentina had a high rate of infection more than a week ago.

During seven days in January, some 135,000 Mexicans contracted Covid-19, a record number since the start of the pandemic.

A generalized concept is that Omicron is lighter compared to the previous modalities, especially the Delta, a perception that is well received in the American continent and in the world. But planetary alarms are still high.

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