Colombia: Authorities tighten domestic COVID-19 restrictions, expand nightly curfews April 5 /update 30

Event

Authorities in Colombia have imposed a number of additional domestic restrictions, including new nightly curfews, to curb the spread of COVID-19. Under the new directives, which will remain in force through at least April 19, local authorities will implement further business restrictions and nightly curfews based on the intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy levels at hospitals within their jurisdictions. New guidelines released by the central government call for the following curfew hours:

00:01-05:00 in municipalities with ICU occupancy levels between 50-69 percent
22:00-05:00 in municipalities with ICU occupancy levels between 70-79 percent
20:00-05:00 in municipalities with ICU occupancy levels between 80-85 percent
18:00-05:00 in municipalities with ICU occupancy levels above 85 percent

The national government's new guidelines also call for state governments to ban mass public events and the consumption of alcohol in public spaces, keep dance clubs closed, and increase controls to avoid parties and large gatherings at private homes. Authorities in municipalities with high infection rates are allowed to restrict public access to beaches, public squares, and other areas where large numbers of people could congregate. Individuals must continue to wear facemasks in public spaces and adhere to physical distancing and sanitization protocols.

While local authorities will establish other business restrictions within their jurisdictions, the central government advises that such measures not impact the operation of hotels or restaurants, or the general public's ability to shop for essential goods. Moreover, persons returning to their homes from other cities or states must be allowed to travel even during curfew hours.

In Bogota, health centers are required to suspend or reschedule nonurgent procedures and expand the number of available beds in ICUs. In the city of Barranquilla, until at least April 19, the nightly curfew will run 18:00-05:00 and authorities will limit entrance to malls, retail stores, banks and public transportation by identification numbers.

International Travel Restrictions
Effective April 7, nonresident foreign nationals will no longer be allowed to board planes bound for Colombia without being in possession of a negative result from a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test taken no more than 96 hours before departure. Colombian citizens, residents, and their families, as well as diplomats, will be allowed to board flights without the test result, but subsequently must either take a PCR test upon arrival in the airport and self-quarantine until they obtain the results, or self-quarantine for 14 days.

All travelers still need to complete the "Check-Mig" online form between 24 hours and one hour before departure and must comply with regulations associated with contact tracing upon arrival. Travelers with COVID-19 symptoms will not be allowed to enter the country.

Approved international commercial passenger flights are continuing at Colombia's main airports, including from Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Curacao, Panama, and the US. International flights with the UK remain restricted due to the spread of a variant strain of COVID-19 in that country; it is unclear when this restriction will be lifted. Only Colombian citizens, residents, and other authorized travelers who have been in or traveled to the UK within 14 days before arrival are permitted entry subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine. Flights between Colombia and Brazil also remain suspended. Colombia's land and river borders remain closed, except for cargo and humanitarian aid, until at least June 1.

Authorities could further tighten, reimpose, extend, ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments.