U.S. Embassy in Colombia

Location: Bogota

Event: HEALTH ALERT: Bogota COVID-19 Quarantine Update and Orange Zones

Bogota COVID-19 Quarantine Update:  According to the Office of the Mayor of Bogota, there are 5,521 cases of COVID-19 in Bogota as of May 18, 2020. The mayor’s office recently raised the state of alert from yellow to orange in areas of the city with higher COVID-19 concern.

Orange Alert/Special Care Zone Regulations: U.S. citizens residing in a zone of special care should review rules from the Mayor’s Office regarding compliance with the new orange alert regulations.  Measures include:

• Only one person per household may leave the home for essential activities, such as grocery shopping or to purchase medicine.
• Mandatory use of face masks and two meters of physical distance from others.
• No outdoor exercise for adults or children.
• Limits on pet relief excursions.
• Deliveries are permitted, but only from within your area of residence.
• Enhanced monitoring by police and health teams.

Commuting to work is prohibited except for essential workers (i.e. healthcare, food supply, public officials) and workers in newly reopened sectors per national decree (construction, manufacturing, automotive, etc.) whose jobs cannot be performed via telework and who do not present any flu-like symptoms. For additional information on these and other measures that are being implemented in Bogota, please refer to the Bogota Mayor’s office website: https://bogota.gov.co/zonas-de-cuidado-especial. A list of frequently asked questions is available by clicking here. There will be enhanced monitoring by police and healthcare workers in these areas. Colombian authorities will enforce the quarantine, and U.S. citizens could be subject to detention or arrest if out of compliance.

Zones under Orange Alert as of May 18: (may be subject to change at any time, check here for updates)

Kennedy:

UPZ Kennedy Central: barrios Ciudad Kennedy Occidental, Ciudad Kennedy Sur y Pastrana
UPZ Américas: barrio Ciudad Kennedy
UPZ Corabastos: Ciudad Techo y María Paz
UPZ Bavaria: barrios Marsella y Nueva Alsacia
UPZ Calandaima I: Galán y Osorio III
UPZ Calandaima II: Tintalá
UPZ Patio Bonito: Patio Bonito y Tairona.

Chapinero:
UPZ Pardo Rubio: Barrios Chapinero Norte, Chapinero central

Puente Aranda: 
Barrios: Puente Aranda y Centro Industrial

Rafael Uribe Uribe: 
UPZ Quiroga: Barrios Quiroga, Bravo Páez, Murillo Toro, Quiroga Central, Quiroga Sur y Barro Inglés

Suba:
UPZ Britalia: Barrios Cantagalio y Mazurén

Bosa:
UPZ Bosa Occidental: Barrios San Antonio, La Independencia, Villas del Progreso, El Remanso I, Chicó Sur, Ciudadela El Recreo

As we have referenced previously, those under quarantine ARE permitted to go to the airport and take flights out of Colombia if flights are available. Travelers should be prepared for travel restrictions to change with little or no advance notice. If you are interested in returning to the United States, please take advantage of the humanitarian flights announced through the STEP program.  The U.S. government cannot guarantee the ability to arrange flights indefinitely.  U.S. citizens should return immediately to the United States, unless you are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.

Visit the website of the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Colombia’s Coronavirus Information Page for additional information on these new measures and to register your contact and travel information.