Amazing Race star Tyler Roos reveals how COVID-19 is affecting Mexico

The Amazing Race Australia’s Tyler Roos is holidaying in Mexico – but he doesn’t feel stranded or at risk amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia from Tulum on Friday, the 23-year-old reality star said the tourist city was showing no signs of panic.

‘Things in Mexico feel fine. It feels like the virus just doesn’t exist here. There’s no one with gloves and masks, no quarantine, no stress whatsoever,’ Tyler said.

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As of Friday, there are 756 confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia, including seven deaths. Meanwhile, Mexico has 118 confirmed cases and one death.   

While Tyler is aware that Australians are hoarding supplies and raiding supermarkets for food, he hasn’t anything similar in Mexico yet.

‘The supermarkets are fully stocked and no one is hoarding anything,’ he said.

‘The only difference I think is it’s a lot quieter. There’s nowhere near as many travellers, the locals have said to me. It’s honestly so relaxed. you don’t feel unsafe or like anything is going south.’

Tyler added that many tourists have either left the country or are self-isolating.

Earlier this week, he and his friend Josh Clayton visited two famous attractions, which were unusually quiet for this time of year. 

The first was Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres, which was ranked among the 10 best beaches in the world by TripAdvisor in 2019. 

‘It was basically empty,’ said Tyler, who took photos of the deserted area which is normally swarming with beachgoers.

They also ventured to Mexico’s most-visited archaeological site, Chichen Itza, where they basically had the place to themselves. 

‘Apparently it’s so hard to get a photo with no one in it there, because it’s always packed, but we went and there was just not many people around at all,’ he said. 

Tyler had originally booked a ‘low-level’ hotel room with a shared bathroom at a resort in Tulum, but he has since been upgraded twice by management.

‘They’ve been really good deals. We got upgraded twice for free, because there was no one in the places,’ he said.

‘We went from a low-level room to the executive suite – the most expensive room at the resort – because you can’t share bathrooms and no one is here,’ he said.

While many Australians travelling abroad are trying to make it home, Tyler feels lucky to be in the position he’s in.

‘I don’t have a flight home arranged, but I’m lucky enough to be an American citizen as well and my family have a place in Hawaii. If it looks like borders are closing to Australia I’ll go to Hawaii and reassess from there,’ he said. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison closed the Australian border this week. Non-residents will be banned from entering the country from 9pm on Friday.

Only Australian permanent residents and citizens are allowed to enter the country from in-bound international flights.