Editor’s Note — Coronavirus cases are in flux across the globe. Health officials caution that staying home is the best way to stem transmission until you’re fully vaccinated. Below is information on what to know if you still plan to travel, last updated on June 27.
(CNN) — If you’re planning a trip to Brazil, here’s what you’ll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the global coronavirus pandemic.
The basics
Brazil has been one of the hardest hit countries by the pandemic. The country holds the second highest Covid-19 death toll in the world, second only to the United States.
At the height of the pandemic, the Brazilian government did little to limit the spread nationally. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro criticized the use of masks and lambasted governors who adopted regional lockdown measures.
Hospitals in Brazil struggled. Intubation, medication and oxygen ran low at points during the pandemic.
The Gamma coronavirus variant was first detected in Brazil and spread rapidly across the country in early 2021.
Cases in Brazil later spiked in late 2021/early 2022 following the emergence of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Case numbers have since dropped.
Over 79.2% of the population in Brazil is fully vaccinated as of June 27, 2022.
What’s on offer
Brazil is a bucket list destination — a country that really does have everything. Beachside Rio de Janeiro is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, capital Brasilia is a whirl of modernist architecture, and Salvador is the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture. There are some of the best beaches on the planet, plus, of course, the main part of the Amazon rainforest — which visitors can help protect, by contributing toward the conservation economy.
Who can go
Brazil’s government, infamously relaxed about the pandemic, was initially hesitant to implement pandemic border restrictions. However, the country introduced new border measures following the emergence of Omicron.
Currently, only fully vaccinated travelers…