People wearing face masks walk by seaside in Havana, Cuba
HAVANA, March 15 (NNN-Xinhua) — Evelio Martinez, a taxi driver from the Havana district of El Vedado, is back behind the wheel after being furloughed for several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Life in the Cuban capital is gradually returning to normal two years after the virus began to spread on the island in March 2020, the 52-year-old said.
Covering a distance of 15 kilometers, Martinez now transports tourists from Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport to the city’s Old Quarter.
“Things got tough during the COVID-19 confinement period, but we are seeing a substantial improvement in living conditions now,” he said. “No country will be the same after the pandemic.”
Home to about 2.2 million residents, Havana, the island’s most populous city, has dropped most COVID-19 restrictions in this era of the new normal although mask mandates remain in place in public areas.
Citywide, thousands of workers have returned to the office. Beaches, hotels, swimming pools, gyms and sports venues are operating, but with limited capacity.
In addition, thousands of students in the capital returned to the classroom this month for the start of the new academic year.
Cuban nurse Margarita Tejera, 48, said the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and compliance with coronavirus protocols were fundamental to keeping the pandemic at bay.
“The numbers of daily COVID-19 cases in Havana have significantly declined over the past few months,” Tejera said. “The virus is under control.”
The Caribbean nation reported 620 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, 14 of which were registered in Havana, which saw the lowest COVID-19 infection rate of the past two weeks, according to the health ministry.
Local authorities seek to resume tourism activity in Havana, which prior to the pandemic drew nearly 70 percent of all tourists arriving in Cuba.
“I strongly believe there are many business opportunities in Havana despite the complexity of our economic situation, the impact of the U.S. sanctions on our economy, and the pandemic,” Cuban entrepreneur Gemma Ruiz said.
To date, more than 90 percent of Havana residents have received a booster shot for COVID-19, according to official data.
Cuba’s Public Health Minister Jose Angel Portal noted it is crucial to prevent the spread of the virus since there is still a lot the global scientific community doesn’t know about COVID-19.
“It is indispensable to learn to live with the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We face the huge challenge of keeping the main economic activities and services operating,” Portal said. — NNN-XINHUA
