Location: Colombia
Event: National Transition to Selective Isolation Measures
Transition to Selective Isolation Measures: As of August 27, there have been 582,022 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Colombia according to the Colombian Ministry of Health. President Duque announced the extension of the national health emergency until November 30 and the transition from compulsory isolation to selective isolation.
Some national restrictions remain: The national government maintains a number of restrictions on activities and requirements to secure public health, including but not limited to:
- International borders remain closed, and international commercial flights suspended,
- Events of more than 50 people are prohibited,
- Alcohol consumption in bars, discos, and public areas is prohibited, though consumption of alcohol in restaurants is permitted,
- All employers should maximize telework, and
- Biosecurity protocols remain in place, including social distancing and mandatory use of face masks at all times when people are outside their home, including in a vehicle with others.
Visit the website of the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Colombia’s Coronavirus Information Page for additional information on national measures and to register your contact and travel information.
Travel within Colombia: Decree 1168 eliminates many of the movement restrictions that had been imposed by the National government, including those on tourist travel within the country. Municipal and Departmental restrictions and health requirements remain in certain parts of the country. The Embassy reminds all U.S. citizen travelers that they are responsible for complying with all local restrictions.
U.S. Embassy staff under Chief of Mission authority are now permitted to travel to municipalities with a COVID-19 incidence rate of 300 cases per 100,000 or less. Travelers can check the COVID incidence rate of Colombian municipalities by following these steps:
- Visit the website of Colombia’s National Institute of Health (works best in Google Chrome)
- Click on the “Municipio” tab or scroll down to the section on “Tasas de Incidencia y Mortalidad por Municipio”
- Choose any Department from the map on the left side and the right-side map will display the municipalities in that Department.
Bogota: The municipality’s “New Normal” program lifts many restrictions on activities within the city, to include:
- Non-customer-facing businesses including offices, manufacturing, and wholesale may operate only Monday through Thursday,
- Non-essential retail businesses and salons may open only Wednesday through Sunday from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.,
- Restaurants will operate from Thursday to Sunday with social distancing restrictions in place,
- Schools remain virtual only through the month of September,
- Pico y cedula (alternate day shopping based on ID number) will continue for all shopping, and
- Public transport to operate with a maximum capacity of 50%.
- For a complete list of restrictions, please see https://bogota.gov.co/mi-ciudad/salud/coronavirus/bogota-inicia-una-nueva-realidad-alcaldesa-anuncia-medidas
For details regarding restrictions in other municipalities, please consult the relevant municipal government.
U.S. Citizens in Colombia: U.S. citizens residing in Colombia should consult the Resources page to find links to each department website to ensure compliance with municipal COVID-19 regulations. President Duque announced that municipal leaders may reenact isolation measures by locality if the number of cases increases within their jurisdictions.
Travel for Humanitarian Flights: While international commercial flights remain suspended, those interested in returning to the United States should consider the humanitarian flights announced through the STEP program. The U.S. government cannot guarantee the ability to arrange flights indefinitely.
Colombia is at a Level 4 Travel Advisory due to COVID-19.
Actions to Take:
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
- For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19 please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Colombia.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
Assistance:
- U.S. Embassy Bogota, Colombia
Tel. +57-1-275-2000
acsbogota@state.gov
https://co.usembassy.gov/ - U.S. Consular Agency, Barranquilla
conagencybarranquilla@state.gov - U.S. Department of State – Consular Affairs
1-888-407-4747 or 1-202-501-4444 - Colombia Country Information
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