Dominican Republic assures that it is prepared to test all tourists

These tests will be applied by technical health personnel in the hotels, and will issue a result certified by the Ministry of Health.

In addition to those passengers who require PCR tests, all the main destinations in the country have the capacity of clinics and laboratories to carry out the tests, 72 hours before departure.

In Punta Cana, Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo there is the capacity in clinics and laboratories to meet current and future demand. This demand is estimated, nationwide between 11,000 and 6,000 tests daily. Additionally, in the next 3 weeks, this capacity will be increasing by 40%.

The public and private sectors in the Dominican Republic have worked hand in hand to ensure the capacity and logistics so that all outgoing passengers to their countries of origin who require COVID-19 testing can perform it.

The Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES), will be coordinating with the hotels and the Ministry of Health the delivery, training and technological platform that will support this entire process.

The hotels will be covering the costs of applying these tests, with the necessary alliances with local clinics.

"All of the above, in addition to the process of increasing the existing capacity in the country for locals, which exceeds 11,000 daily tests, guaranteeing that the population also has all the necessary coverage in the current reality," said the minister Tourism, David Collado, leading a meeting with the sectors involved.

The Minister of Health, Plutarco Arias, the president of ASONAHORES, Rafael Blanco, the director of the Airport Department, Víctor Pichardo, among other representatives of the government and the private sector, also participated.

The Cabinet informed that all this will be supported with a communication plan that guarantees that travelers have information on the capacity and existing resources to apply their tests and do not have problems when traveling.

The airports, migration and the airport department are working on the information process upon entering airports, so that passengers know that when they leave the country the test must be carried out 72 hours before, the hotels will also be informing, at respect.

Airports are preparing mobile facilities for the application of antigen tests, at a cost, for passengers with emergencies who cannot take the test before arriving, where applicable.