As of Monday, May 24, Puerto Rico put an end to its night curfew that was maintained during the last year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government also announced that vaccinated persons will be allowed to enter the country without a negative coronavirus test result. On the other hand, unvaccinated persons will be required to present a negative test or present the result within 48 hours after entering the country.

The island has been under curfew since March 2020, when the first case of coronavirus was reported.

Even when the curfew was modified on a few occasions, it almost always remained in place between midnight and 5 a.m. Starting this week, visitors arriving without being vaccinated will continue to be required to present a negative coronavirus test or commit to providing a test result within 48 hours, as has been the practice. Tourists who fail to comply with the tests will be fined $300 by the goverment.

However, the government has also announced that starting Friday it will offer the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine to anyone arriving at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. In this regard, Carlos Mellado, secretary of the Department of Health, affirmed that the vaccination option will eventually be offered to all visitors arriving through other airports, as well as to ferry services from the Dominican Republic. The island's tourism and economic revival are a priority, which is why they will ensure universal vaccinations. 

"It doesn't matter where you come from, if you are a resident or not," Mellado confirmed.