French Guiana: Authorities ease certain COVID-19-related business restrictions June 19 /update 29

Authorities in French Guiana ease certain COVID-19-related business controls as of June 19; curfew remains in effect.

Event

Authorities in French Guiana have eased certain COVID-19-related business restrictions; however, most other domestic measures and restrictions on international travel remain largely unchanged. Effective June 19, shopping centers and certain non-essential businesses will be allowed to reopen provided they comply with health protocols. Public gatherings must be limited to a maximum of 10 individuals; this limit does not apply to professional meetings. Religious ceremonies can be held with health protocols in place, and schools are permitted to reopen. All individuals must wear protective face coverings in public.

While the nightly 19:00-05:00 curfew remains in effect territory-wide Monday through Saturday, the weekend curfew has been eased and now runs from 20:00 Sunday to 05:00 Monday, no longer requiring residents to remain indoors on Sundays. During curfew hours, individuals may only leave their residences for a limited number of essential activities, including commitments related to work or education which cannot be performed remotely, medical appointments, voting in regional elections, assisting family or vulnerable people, or traveling to or from an airport, among others. A similar, albeit somewhat more liberal list of restrictions also applies to movement in public outside of curfew hours. Those with a compelling reason to leave their homes must carry a signed certificate confirming that the reason for their travel is included in the list of essential activities defined by the authorities.

Movement into and out of the municipalities of Iracoubo and Regina remains restricted; drivers are only allowed to pass through checkpoints set up along roads leading to and from the municipalities if they have a compelling reason for their travel; a signed certificate will be required.

International Travel
French Guiana's borders remain closed to most nonresident foreign nationals who do not have a compelling reason for travel. French citizens, residents and their immediate family members, diplomats, healthcare workers, airline crews, and nonresident foreign nationals who are in transit to their home countries are exempt from the general border closure. Individuals traveling from Brazil via land or sea remain prohibited from entering the territory. Restrictions do not affect cargo shipments and humanitarian travel.

International arrivals must present either a negative result from a COVID-19 RT-PCR or an antigen test taken no more than 72 hours prior to departure for French Guiana. Travelers arriving from Guadeloupe or Martinique must present either a negative RT-PCR or antigen test taken within 48 hours prior to departure, while those arriving from metropolitan France may present either a negative result from a RT-PCR test result taken 72 hours prior to departure or an antigen test taken within 48 hours before travel. Testing requirements do not apply to children aged 11 or younger.

Arrivals must also present a completed sworn statement confirming that they agree to follow all measures required for arriving passengers. These include undergoing an additional COVID-19 test at the airport, a subsequent seven-day self-isolation period, and a second COVID-19 test before ending quarantine. Authorities are entitled to extend a traveler's quarantine period based on individual assessments; however, the total self-isolation period shall not exceed one month.

Authorities could reimpose, extend, further tighten, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice, depending on local disease activity.