American Airlines commercial aircraft.

American Airlines will suspend or reduce six routes to Brazil, Chile and Peru, countries that are going through waves of COVID-19, the US media reported on Monday The Dallas Morning News. In the first two cases, the decision responds to the low demand registered, while although this is not the case for the third, it will be reached in the same way.

The modifications will be as follows: for Peru, the airline planned to dispatch daily flights between Fort Worth airport and Lima, the capital, but the frequency will now be four times a week. The country is going through a new increase in infections and deaths, to the point that this Sunday it registered for the first time more than 400 deaths as a result of the disease in 24 hours.

As for Brazil, the daily route to São Paulo, also from Texas, will take place three times every seven days. The same will happen with the one that connects New York with the same Brazilian city and the connections between Miami and Rio de Janeiro, while flights to Manaus, a city particularly affected by COVID-19 in the South American giant – and the birthplace of a new and more infectious strain – will be suspended until November 2.

Brazil, the current epicenter of the pandemic globally, has consistently recorded more than 3,000 deaths a day in recent weeks and tens of thousands of new infections. With nearly 14 million positive cases and more than 373,000 deaths, it ranks second and third on the global charts, respectively.

Photo of a cemetery in Brazil in April 2021. REUTERS / Amanda Perobelli

Photo of a cemetery in Brazil in April 2021. REUTERS / Amanda Perobelli

On the other hand, the US airline indicated in turn that it will postpone the start of the service between the JFK airport in New York and Chile. It will no longer be May 7, as initially planned, but the tentative date has passed to July 2. In the Andean country, a strict quarantine has been in force since the end of March for most of the country, as a result of the pressure on the health system from COVID-19.

Prior to the announcement, American Airlines planned to fly 250 flights between the Dallas airport and South America in June. The figure, which will now be even more reduced, would also have continued to be lower than the 310 that were carried out that month during 2019.

The scenario contrasts with the domestic one, driven by the rapid vaccination campaign taking place in the North American country. The airline indicated last week that it would again offer 90 percent of 2019 flights by the summer.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that more than 130 million people have already received at least one dose of the licensed formulas, representing more than 50% of the country’s adult population.

The rate of inoculation in the United States will probably increase significantly over the next few days, considering that starting this Monday, all adults in the country can receive doses if they wish. President Joe Biden confirmed the news and urged the public to do so.

United States President Joe Biden. REUTERS / Kevin Lamarque

United States President Joe Biden. REUTERS / Kevin Lamarque

“Friends, I have good news. Everyone is eligible, starting today, to get the vaccine. We have enough. You need to be protected, and you need, in turn, to protect your neighbors and your family. So please get vaccinated, ”he said in a video posted on Twitter.

Two weeks ago, the president had advanced the previously stipulated date, since it was set for May 1. Several states had already advanced the date and only a few remained to do so. But as of this Monday, in the 50 states, plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico, adults can get a shift without age requirements, comorbidities or job positions. Each jurisdiction defines the shift system and residency requirements: there are differences between those who vaccinate any interested party and those who demand to be a resident of the area or the state.

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