Is Seychelles ready to welcome tourists without restrictions amid the talks of herd immunity?

Seychelles is opening for tourists on March 25 without any restrictions , which makes it one of the very few countries who have allowed incoming passengers without any regulations. But if we were to look for a reason behind the popular tourist country taking this step, then we might want to explore Herd Immunity.

Herd Immunity is when the majority of the population becomes immune to an infectious virus or disease which indirectly guarantees protection for those who have not achieved it yet. Seychelles could be one of the first countries to achieve herd immunity.

The United Arab Emirates and India have supplied vaccines to the country and thanks to this, Seychelles is quickly reaching herd immunity. The nation that is famous for its beaches and picturesque environment is expected to open for all travellers except for those from South Africa from March 25.

For a country that is completely based out of its tourism model, this is a huge deal and will even further promote the tourism sector in the country. Till now, the rules for travellers who arrived in the country said that they must follow a quarantine schedule in the designated hospitals. 

Those who visit will have to book an accommodation on a prior basis in one of the 700 tourism establishments present in the country. The list is yet to be made public and once it is out, there will be no need to quarantine in the government facilities. Permits for nearly 115 islands will be granted if the travellers' accommodation is booked.

The country started administering vaccines in January and by the end of February, almost half of its population was vaccinated. By March 15, the country’s administration has already administered 70 percent of the population and is on the verge of completing herd immunity.

The country received 50,000 doses of covid-19 vaccines by the UAE, which provided Seychelles with China manufactured Sinopharm. India was another country that donated coronavirus vaccines. India donated 50,000 AstraZenca Vaccines doubling up the vaccine shots.