Why the world’s most vaccinated country is seeing an unprecedented spike in coronavirus cases
Washington Post, May 6, 2021
- "After almost a year of strict border controls, the Seychelles announced early this year that it was opening back up to tourists beginning March 25. The government said there would be no quarantine requirements and that visitors would not need to be vaccinated, though they would need to show negative PCR tests taken less than 72 hours before travel."
- "It was an important move for the Seychelles, which relies on tourism for about a quarter of its economy. Economic growth declined by 13.5 percent in 2020, largely because of steep drops in tourism revenue, according to the World Bank."
- "While the number of new daily coronavirus cases has more than doubled since tourism restrictions were removed, only 10 percent of positive cases are among visitors to the island, according to Sherin."
Causes for the huge increase in COVID-19 cases include:
1) Vaccines used not very effective
2) Tourists who came back during the past 6 weeks brought infections with them
3) Vaccinations have caused mutations of the virus
4) Country got the mutated virus from India and their vaccines not fight it.
Map showing Seychelles
graphic modified from: Countries Reliant on Tourism