The Latin American Country That's Beating Covid

But first, here's what happened in virus news today. US Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, Treasury Secretary Stephen Manuchin, and other GOP leaders began hammering out the details of a roughly one trillion dollar Republican plan for a new round of virus relief. At will be their opening bid as they begin negotiations with Democrats, who have already put out

an expansive three point five trillion dollar proposal. The two sides remain far apart on many of the particulars, including McConnell's determination to include liability limits for businesses, schools, and other organizations. Hong Kong reported sixty six new local virus cases, down from eighty three on Sunday. The new outbreak has now infected five hundred and sixty local people in sixteen days,

alarming health officials. About a third of infections are unlinked to confirmed cases or existing outbreaks, signaling that hidden chains of transmission are widespread. In light of the outbreak, the Financial Hub is extending restaurant restrictions as well as JIM and bar closures by another week, and it's expanding mask requirements. Finally, a coronavirus vaccine the University of Oxford is developing with Astra Zenica showed promising results in early human testing. The

vaccine shows what's called a dual immune response. That means it increased levels of both protective neutralizing antibodies and immune T cells that target the virus. That's according to results that were published today in the Lancet Medical Journal. And now for today's main story. The small South American nation of Uruguay is best known for its grass fed beef and Atlantic beaches, but the country of three point five million people has another distinction. It seems to have dodged

the worst of the COVID nineteen outbreak. Despite being nestled between hot spot countries. The country has seen just one thousand or so cases since the pandemic began, and only thirty three deaths. Ken Parks reports the reasons may have as much to do with its policies from years past as its present day virus response. What is the secret to uruguay success? First, it acted fast. President LUs Lakaishapo ordered a voluntary lockdown and closed international borders less than

a month after taking office March first. Speaking at a seminar in June, lakaijah Po has said his decision to appeal to his compatriots responsible exercise of liberty, as he refers to his voluntary lockdown policy, wasn't an easy one. It was March, and his advisers had provided infection forecasts ranging from tift cases to his meanings a quarter of a million cases. The decision to say no to obligatory quarantine was a little more complex based on the data

we have. Of equal or greater importance are Uruguay's institutional assets. It's one of the wealthiest nations in the region, with a mature political system that sees little to gain from sacrifice in the country to advance partisans agendas. Uruguay is also reaping dividends from the heavy investments in public healthcare and social programs. The left wing Broad Front Party made

during his fifteen years in power. The government strategy of widespread testing, contact tracing, and voluntary lockdown is paying off. Most schools are now holding classes and malls, shops, restaurants, and government offices are open. Active COVID cases have held below or just above one since early June. Uruguay's manage all that, even though it counts COVID hotspots Argentina and Brazil as neighbors. I recently spoke with Public Health Minister

Daniel Salinas about Uruguay's success in containing the pandemic. Minister Sealinas, a medical doctor, urge his compatriots to appreciate and defend the country's COVID gains. Has to appreciate and defend its status. It has to be part of our identity. It's like in football. We have to win this World Cup. That doesn't mean we have won the battle, because at any moment something can happen that is beyond our control. The reopening of classes didn't generate one additional case. The reopening

of shopping centers hasn't created spikes and activity. The opening of hotels and restaurants hasn't created problems. Daily Uruguay has increased entry requirements for citizens and foreign residents arriving from abroad by air, Fairie or Land. Authorities require new arrivals provide a negative COVID test taken no more than seventies two hours before traveling. After that, arrivals have to spend at least a week in quarantine and undergo another test.

Uruguayan Brazil are also coordinating their COVID response measures along their border. Minister Selenas says the measures aimed to event further outbreaks like those in the provincial capitals of Rivera and train d Tace that were linked to Brazil, where many Uruguayans who live along the border go to shop Moulin Dando and you're shielding the country from the situation abroad.

But in the end we depend on the personal conduct of our citizens because starting from one case, there were ninety seven cases, and Tres, which is a lesson looks, is a very small city that had ten percent of Uruguay's cases. Uruguay also faces the challenge reviving a tourism industry whose beaches, spas and casinos catered to more than one point seven million Argentines and almost half a million

Brazilian slash here. I asked Minister Selenas if Uruguay is going to open its tourism ministry next summer, bud point. Don't know for sure. There is going to be domestic tourism, but conditions to enter the country aren't going to change. I hope there is a vaccine by then. What Luruguay is out performing most of its peers in terms of infection mortality rates. The pandemic has caused significant hardship for ordinary Ruguayans who have lost their jobs or struggled to

keep their businesses afloat in the face of declining sales. Well, the unemployment rate has actually dropped below ten since the start of the pandemic. Economists attribute that to many of the jobless not actively looking for work. We'll swallow though fifty six Bones and operates a fruit and vegetable stand that service five neighborhood street markets in the capital Montivideo. I spoke with him recently at a morning street market in the neighborhood of Positos about how the pandemic has

affected his business. In the market, Live is mainly off people more than forty years old. This is a morning market and active people are at work. In general, older people, parents and a family or grandparents come. Those are the people most affected, or at least the ones that have been declared at risk due to their age. It has an impact because older people don't come to the market, so there are fewer clients and sales. Draw idea and

does is it in daily? Oswaldo says his sales are just six of what they were before the pandemic struck in early March. On a positive note, he notices that foot traffic in the market has been picking up for about a month. Federico runs a butcher's shop in the traditional middle class neighborhood of Delores in montivid Uruguayans are among the biggest meat eaters in the planet, consuming one

five pounds of beef for person last year. I asked Federico how meat consumption has changed in the neighborhood during the pandemic. Consumption has held up or even increased a little. Places for eating outwork closed or people are spending more time at home and have more time to cook. Fortunately, our company has benefited from the pandemic because sales have increased. I'm going to see you. Uru Way has received international recognition for its handling of the pandemic. I asked Federico

how this newfound attention makes him feel. One feels a lot of pride. I think things have been done right here since day zero, and people have been extra careful, so seeing them talk about US abroad is always a source of pride. I so far has managed to contain the pandemic, while it's larger neighbors struggle to get a grip on the disease. However, success can prove short lived due to COVID's uncanny ability to quickly spread, as illustrated

by two outbreaks in provincial cities. An important outbreak in recent days at a hospital in the capital, Montevideo. Uruguay has won many battles against the pandemic, but it's too early to declare victory just yet. Perhaps the reopening of its international borders at some point down the road would be one sure sign that Uruguay has COVID on the ropes. That was Ken Parks in Montevideo. And that's it for

our show today. For coverage of the outbreak from one bureaus around the world, visit Bloomberg dot com slash coronavirus and if you like the show, please leave us a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It's the best way to help more listeners find our global reporting. The Prognosis Daily Edition is produced by Tophor foreheads Jordan gas Pure, Magnus Hendrickson and Met Laura Carl Wilson. Today's main story was reported by Ken Parks. Original music by

Leo Sidrin. Our editors are Rick Shine and Francesco Levi. Francesca Levi is Bloomberg's head of podcasts. Thanks for listening.