Nicaragua Prohibits Travelers Bringing Covid Test Kits
The US Embassy says it has received reports of evidence of tests confiscated from Its citizens upon arrival in Nicaragua
HAVANA TIMES – The US Embassy in Nicaragua reported, in an update on its page on the COVID-19 situation in the country, that the government of Daniel Ortega prohibits the importation of tests to detect the virus, and has even received reports of confiscations.
The Ortega regime keeps covid tests centralized in Managua through the Ministry of Health (Minsa), the only entity where travelers who need to be tested can go. And it sells them for US $150.
At first the test was only performed at the National Health Lab and Office Complex. However, given that the number of users led to increased demand, disorder, and risk of contracting the virus, Minsa opened a second laboratory in Bologna, also Managua.
The centralization in the capital means that people living in other towns and cities must suffer considerable additional time and expenses to get a test.
Tests and results have always been a secret
The regime not only prevents the bringing in of home or antigen tests but has not revealed how many tests it has done since the pandemic began. This has always been one of the most criticized positions in the country regarding the management of the pandemic.
At one time, the private sector demanded that the import of tests be allowed in order to alleviate the burden on Minsa and also that the price be reduced once the airlines began to return to the country. Demand for travelers would grow since several countries, including the United States, require proof of negative testing.
No restrictions
In its update with the number of deaths officially registered by Minsa this Tuesday, December 21, the US Embassy said that “the government of Nicaragua has yet to officially impose national travel restrictions or national quarantine policies.”
This still hasn’t happened. Nicaragua was and remains the only country on the continent that did not impose any measures to stop the spread of the virus; it did not call for quarantine, suspend classes or decree mandatory use of masks. This didn’t happen during the first wave between May and June 2020 that left thousands of people infected, nor during August and September 2021 with the second wave that was even more devastating than the first.
There is also no indication that the regime plans to take any action to stop the imminent infections of the new variant of worldwide concern, omicron, which is already in border countries such as Costa Rica with confirmed cases, and Honduras with a case under suspicion.
On the contrary, every weekend Vice President Rosario Murillo invites the public to participate in thousands of massive activities around the country promoted by the government through its various institutions.
The Nicataguan government has never been worried about the people’s health. At the beginning the majority of people thought that covid was a lie, just like Ortega said many times. the other part of the people tried their best wearing mask and using alcohol. Ortega wants us dead!