17 Oct 2021 | 02:30 PM UTC
Ukraine: Authorities tighten domestic COVID-19 restrictions from Oct. 18 /update 38
Ukraine to tighten domestic COVID-19 restrictions in some areas from Oct. 18; international entry restrictions unchanged.
Event
Authorities will tighten domestic restrictions in several areas from Oct. 18 in response to rising COVID-19 case numbers. Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Odesa, and Zaporizhia oblasts will be classified as red zones, alongside Kherson, which became red on Oct. 15.
Officials previously extended the COVID-19 related nationwide state of emergency until Dec. 31 and are maintaining an "adaptive quarantine" system for tracking disease activity. Under this system, each region is classified as being at either the green, yellow, orange, or red level in order of increasing transmission risk as determined by the volume of COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, local morbidity rates, and the capacity of local hospitals. Kyiv, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Kharkiv, Khmelnytsky, Luhansk, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Volyn, and Zhytomyr are currently classed as orange, while the rest of the country is classed as yellow.
Restrictions in red zones include the closure of nonessential businesses and a prohibition on public gatherings. Restrictions in orange and yellow zones include capacity limits for mass events, cultural institutions, and fitness centers, in addition to maximum group numbers in catering establishments. Yellow and orange level restrictions will not apply if all individuals at an event or facility and at least 80 percent of staff are vaccinated against or recently tested negative for COVID-19.
Facemasks remain mandatory in enclosed public spaces nationwide.
International Entry Restrictions
All nonresident foreign nationals must have health insurance covering COVID-19 treatment and present a certificate showing completion of a full course of a WHO-recognized vaccine or proof of a negative PCR or rapid antigen test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival. All unvaccinated travelers must take a test within 72 hours of arrival or subsequently begin up to 10 days of self-isolation, which can be ended early with a negative result from a second COVID-19 test. All unvaccinated persons entering Ukraine must download and install the "Vdoma" COVID-19 mobile application, which authorities use to monitor self-isolation.
Unvaccinated travelers arriving from Russia and India, or any who have spent at least seven days out of the previous 14 in either of these two countries, must undergo self-isolation for at least 14 days. There are no provisions under which such travelers may end their quarantine period early.
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.
