Argentina: Authorities update and extend COVID-19 restrictions nationwide through May 21 /update 33

Event

The government of Argentina has extended most of the the nation's COVID-19-related restrictions through at least May 21. Due to higher number of infections and hospitalizations, controls will remain tighter in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (Area Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, AMBA).

Among the measures in place in the AMBA and other areas considered to have a high risk of COVID-19 infections are:

A nightly 20:00-06:00 curfew is in force.
Restaurants and bars can only offer on-premises services in outdoor areas and until 19:00 daily.
Operating hours for non-essential busnesses are restricted to 06:00-19:00.
Malls, discotheques, and casinos must remain closed.
Gyms are closed; indoor sporting activities are banned.
Indoor social gatherings are banned, while outdoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 10 people.
Entertainment and religious activities are banned.
The use of public transport is only allowed for essential workers.

In areas of the country deemed to be at moderate risk, the following measures are in place:

A nightly 00:01-06:00 curfew is in effect.
Restaurants and bars may open for limited services indoors and must close nightly by 23:00.
Discotheques and casinos remain closed.
Gyms and indoor sporting activities can allow a maximum of 10 people.
Indoor social gatherings are limited to a maximum of 10 people.
Entertainment and religious activities are limited to 30 percent of the venue's occupancy capacity.

Local and regional authorities may enforce more restrictive measures if they consider it necessary. Nationwide, group touristic travel remains banned, and people at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 must be allowed to work remotely.

International Travel
All ports of entry remain closed to most nonresident foreign nationals until further notice. Only citizens, legal residents, and foreign nationals authorized to travel for employment, commercial, diplomatic, or sporting events, and essential family reunification reasons are allowed entry. Passengers may transit Argentinian airports provided they remain within the facility and their onward flights depart within 24 hours. Passenger flights from the UK, Chile, Mexico, and Brazil remain banned, with the exception of limited flights for repatriating Argentinian citizens. The land borders remain closed to residents of Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil; land borders are only open for Argentinian nationals and residents who left the country April-Dec. 25, 2020. A reduced number of flights to and from Europe, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, and the US remains available. Generally, international cargo, medical, and humanitarian transport operations are running normally; however, truck drivers and aircraft flight crews may be subject to enhanced screening measures.

Persons permitted entry - including Argentinian nationals, residents, and authorized foreign nationals - must complete an affidavit for the National Directorate of Migration up to 48 hours before travel and provide a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before travel. Nonresident foreign nationals must also provide proof of medical insurance. All arrivals must complete a mandatory self-quarantine for a total of 10 days after taking the PCR test. Travelers may be subject to additional testing upon arrival.

Domestic Travel
Domestic flights, along with long-distance bus and train services, are operating. Authorities continue to restrict interprovincial travel, which is largely reserved only for essential workers and other authorized persons. Some provinces and municipalities may enforce entry requirements, including presenting COVID-19 test results to allow entry.

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

Advice

Follow all official instructions. Reconfirm all travel arrangements and business appointments. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions.