Uruguay: you can enter with a negative antigen test

As of today, Uruguay resolved today by decree that those who only have a negative antigen test will be able to enter the country, instead of the PCR that was required before, although it leaves in force “the rest of the requirements”. Those who want to enter the country can do so from today with a negative result of an antigen test, according to ordinance 214, signed by the Minister of Public Health, Daniel Salinas. According to the resolution, it is already possible to enter “by means of molecular biology technique PCR-RT (PCR test) or antigen test indistinctly”, unlike the previous protocol, which only allowed entry to Uruguay with a negative PCR.
The ordinance indicates that this decision is explained because “several countries in the region have adopted the antigen test as an alternative diagnostic technique to the molecular biology technique PCR-RT”, and because the General Directorate of Health (Digesa) “highlights the effectiveness” of antigen tests. Although antigen tests have less precision than PCR, they are also cheaper and allow a result to be obtained in 15 minutes. The antigen has a value close to 15 dollars in the region, while a PCR can cost up to 100.” For our sector it is important everything that can be cheapened, in order to help the one who comes from abroad, because that is the one that moves the needle. Everyone is doing their numbers to see if they come or not and this antigen is important, “said the vice president of the Uruguayan Chamber of Tourism (Camtur), Francisco Rodríguez.La measure seems to aim to favor income for Carnival holidays (February 28 and March 1), and Uruguay thus joins the definition of Argentina, that no longer requires PCR, while Brazil seems headed towards the same measure.

Original source in Spanish