16 Aug 2021 | 11:29 AM UTC
Kazakhstan: Authorities remove Turkestan Region from "red" zone for COVID-19 epidemiological risk, Aug. 16 /update 46
Kazakhstan removes Turkestan Region from "red" zone for COVID-19 infections, Aug. 16; other domestic and travel restrictions in place.
Event
Authorities have updated the nation's list of regions under strict quarantine regimes due to high COVID-19 activity, Aug. 16. Authorities use a color-coded system to track disease activity in each region and impose local restrictions accordingly. Under the system, regions are classified as one of three zones, green, yellow, or red, in order of increasing risk of transmission. As of Aug. 16, the Turkestan Region has been moved to the green zone. Aside from the Turkestan Region, the entire country is located in the red zone.
Authorities previously tightened COVID-19 countermeasures in Nur-Sultan, Shimkent, and Atyrau, as well as in the regions of Almaty, Akmola, and Karaganda. Mass events are banned, and the activities of most nonessential enterprises are prohibited. Public transport is suspended on weekends in these cities. Businesses permitted to operate, including shopping centers and retailers, must implement sanitary measures.
Additional restrictive measures that apply in red zones include the following:
Health checkpoints are in place on roads approaching settlements where the daily incidence of COVID-19 exceeds 10 new infections per day.
Public transport is suspended on weekends and public holidays.
No standing passengers are allowed on public transport.
Freight transporters may not enter these regions without evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the preceding 72 hours; transporters who fail to produce such evidence will be placed in a quarantine facility for at least two days.
Operating hours have been reduced, and capacity restricted at restaurants, cafes, theaters, cinemas, shopping malls, and leisure facilities.
Places of worship and cultural venues are not permitted to open.
None of the nation's regions are currently classified as yellow zones. The following measures are typically enforced in yellow zones:
Public events, sporting events, weddings, and mass rallies are banned.
Public transport operates from 06:00-23:00 Monday-Saturday and is suspended on Sundays.
Catering establishments may only operate from 23:00-07:00.
Shopping centers must close at 17:00 on weekends.
The Turkestan Region is the only area currently classified as a green zone. Sports facilities, entertainment venues, and houses of worship may resume operation, albeit at no more than 30-percent capacity, in green zones that meet the seven-day threshold. The following measures also remain in place in these locations:
Public transportation and nonessential businesses are operating, including shopping centers, retailers, covered markets, salons, and restaurants; all establishments must operate at reduced capacity, enforce social distancing, and provide hand sanitizer.
Residents may exercise in groups of no more than five people.
Public events, including weddings, may not exceed 10 participants.
Recreational and cultural facilities may not operate on weekends, such as cinemas, nightclubs, and bowling alleys.
Authorities recommend that establishments allow employees to work from home.
Residents must wear protective facemasks and practice social distancing at all times while in public.
Persons over 65 years of age are not permitted to leave their accommodations except to perform essential tasks.
Additionally, Kazakh authorities require residents to obtain a government-provided QR code via the Ashyq mobile application to visit government offices and certain public spaces, including leisure facilities, cultural venues, and entertainment establishments. Ashyq codes are also required to gain entry to international airports in Almaty and Nur-Sultan. Residents will have their app scanned at each establishment; each QR code scan will reveal a resident's color-coded risk rating:
Red - movement restricted to self-isolation regime.
Yellow - movement partially restricted; essential trips to nearest pharmacy and grocery store permitted
Blue - no specific restrictions
Green - no specific restrictions, and the user has a negative result in a COVID-19 PCR test.
International Travel Restrictions
International travel restrictions remain in effect; visa-free travel remains suspended. Authorities have also suspended 72-hour visa-free stays for Chinese and Indian nationals. However, flights with several countries have resumed, including Belarus, Egypt, Germany, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, the Netherlands, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Uzbekistan, though capacity is likely to be limited.
Most incoming travelers, including Kazakh nationals, must provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours before their arrival in Kazakhstan or a vaccination certificate. This restriction does not apply to diplomats, aircrews, train crews, ship crews, and cross-border workers; however, freight truck drivers must now provide a negative test. Returning Kazakh nationals who do not produce a negative test or vaccine certificate upon arrival will be tested and placed in quarantine for at least three days; symptomatic individuals will be hospitalized, while asymptomatic individuals must self-isolate for a further 12 days.
Authorities could reimpose, extend, further ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.
Advice
If traveling to major cities, check access requirements, minimize movement within any quarantined zones, and allow additional time for travel. Reconfirm all flights and business appointments. Follow all official directives. Abide by national health and safety measures. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Prepare for freight delivery disruptions. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation.
