Fully Vaccinated Chileans Get ‘Mobility Pass’ as Rules Eased

(Bloomberg) -- Chile will grant citizens who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus greater freedom in the form of a “mobility pass,” as the South American nation oversees one of the world’s fastest inoculation drives.

The electronic pass will allow greater mobility for people living under full or partial quarantines and will also make it easier for travel around the country. Still, the permit will not alter capacity limits in place to avoid crowding, and does not exempt vaccinated people from nightly curfews, government spokesman Jaime Bellolio said during a televised press conference on Monday.

“We are not giving a carte blanche,” Bellolio said. “We are not saying that the pandemic is over, and that cautionary measures are no longer needed.”

Additionally, the permit will not apply to international travel. Chile’s government extended the closure of its borders through June 15.

Chile has vaulted ahead of most nations with a vaccination campaign that’s already delivered two doses to over 40% of its citizens. Still, virus cases are on the rise and test positivity levels have stayed around 10% even after the government put nearly the entire population under its strictest quarantine phase. Put together, some health experts are warning it’s too early to implement the mobility permit.

Elsewhere, Europe is slowly peeling back border restrictions set in place to stop the spread of Covid-19, providing an opening for sightseers and sun-seekers to finally make plans for a summer migration to Greece, Spain or Italy. The U.S. is also rolling back some rules for people with two doses.

Read more: Summer Travel Will Require Picking Through Maze of Border Rules

Chile received another 2.2 million vaccine doses from Sinovac Biotech Ltd. on Sunday, marking one of the largest single shipments of shots to date, President Sebastian Pinera said shortly after the arrival. The government has secured a total of 40 million doses from multiple laboratories for its population of 18 million.

“The greater freedom granted through the mobility pass will be expanded in accordance with changes in sanitary conditions,” Pinera said. “We are also holding talks at the international level in order to advance, when conditions permit, toward a passport that allows for greater freedom and mobility for Chileans abroad.”

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