Govt missing opportunities to revitalize economy

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Institutional quarantine cited first missed opportunity

KUWAIT CITY, March 13: The Federation of Travel and Tourism Agencies (FTTA) thinks the government has been missing opportunities to revitalize the economy due to the way it deals with the repercussions of the coronavirus crisis, reports Al-Jarida daily. Member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Media Committee in the federation Hussein Al-Sulaiteen said: “The first missed opportunity was the mandatory institutional quarantine for arriving passengers as it led to wastage of millions of Kuwaiti dinars for the local economy. The State delayed the implementation of institutional quarantine for several months; thereby, creating economic opportunities for nearby countries.”

He disclosed another missed opportunity is the number of people getting vaccinated; indicating a total of 320,000 citizens and expatriates have been vaccinated so far; yet the government did not benefit from their vaccination as it treats them like other people at risk of infection, considering they are subject to the same procedures as those who are not vaccinated.

Distinguish
He believes the government’s insistence to continue its current approach to not distinguish between those who received the vaccine and those who did not will refl ect on its performance. He pointed out the government used to complain about the unwillingness of many to be vaccinated; but when people started registering for vaccination, it insisted on treating those vaccinated the same as those who have yet to get the vaccine. He asserted the number of people who got vaccinated is a glimmer of hope for many economic sectors in the country; provided the immunity they have developed must be exploited such that all services must be open to them, especially travel options.

In this manner, the economy will move once again and save the tourism sector from collapse, he added. He said the government can fully benefit by distinguishing vaccinated citizens and expatriates using an electronic passport (vaccination certificate), which allows them to travel without undergoing PCR test, as well as abolishing the institutional and home quarantine requirements imposed on them.

He pointed out that according to studies, those vaccinated are no longer vulnerable to infection and they are not carriers of the disease. He added this will encourage other citizens and expatriates to get vaccinated; thereby, leading to herd immunity which will then move the economic wheel forward.

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