And now it’s open to travelers again — but with an unexpected catch. You can go only if you show you have had Covid-19.
“To land on the archipelago, the tourist will need to present the result of a positive PCR test that is at least 20 days old, or the result of the serological test showing the presence of antibodies against Covid,” its administrator, Guilherme Rocha, told a news conference on Thursday.
A PCR test shows whether someone has the virus; the serological test shows whether the body has already developed antibodies for coronavirus.
Fernando de Noronha, a group of 21 volcanic islands, has been closed to tourists since mid-March because of the pandemic. On July 31, it was reopened just for people with homes there and local researchers.
The archipelago is a national park and one of the most visited tourist attractions in Brazil. Last year, it received 106,000 tourists, 90% of whom were Brazilians. The national park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.
Fernanda Wenzel reporting from Porto Alegre, Brazil, Rodrigo Pedroso from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Brekke Fletcher contributed to this report.
