Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Santiago - COVID-19 Update, 03/30/2020

U.S. Embassy, Santiago, Chile

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Santiago (30 March 2020)

Location: Chile

Event: COVID-19 Update

As of March 30, the Ministry of Health has confirmed 2449 cases of COVID-19 in Chile.

The government of Chile has implemented enhanced screening and quarantine measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Travelers should be prepared for travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice. U.S. citizens who are considering returning to the United States are urged to make travel arrangements while commercial flights are still available. U.S. travelers in Chile should proactively contact airlines as both international and domestic flights are being reduced in frequency and/or canceled, and schedules and options are changing rapidly. U.S. carriers have suspended flights in an out of Santiago. LATAM Airlines continues to operate flights from Santiago to the U.S. though not necessarily every day. Contact LATAM directly for more information.

The government of Chile has implemented measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The following measures were announced on March 25, and apply to Santiago:

· Beginning March 26 at 10:00 pm, a 7-day quarantine will be in effect for the following neighborhoods (comunas) in Santiago: Santiago Centro, Independencia, Providencia, Ñuñoa, Las Condes, Vitacura, and Lo Barnechea.

· During this quarantine, people will be allowed to obtain a permit to leave their residences only under cetain circumstances, including for medical reasons, accessing public services (including pension payments) and paying bills for basic services

· American citizens can obtain a permit by visiting the Comisaria Virtual or by going to the local police station

· Permits will be valid for 30 minutes to 24 hours, depending on the purpose of travel

· For U.S. citizens traveling to the airport, a passport and flight confirmation serve as appropriate documentation

· In accordance with quarantine measures, Embassy personnel will be working from remotely. U.S. citizens requiring emergency services should continue to contact the Consular Section via SantiagoUSA@state.gov or by calling +56 2 2330 3000

· Checkpoints for health inspections will be placed at all principal points of entry and exit to the city of Santiago. In addition to checking the health of persons entering and leaving the city, these checkpoints will be used to confirm that specific individuals who have been ordered to quarantine by medical authorities are not violating their quarantine

The following measures also remain in effect:

· Restaurants, bars, cinemas, and malls are closed nationwide

· Mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for all foreigners and Chilean citizens arriving in Chile

· Daily nation-wide curfew from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am (curfew begins at 2:00 pm on Easter Island)

Effective 18 March 2020, the U.S. Embassy in Santiago has suspended routine consular services. For emergency American Citizens Services, including emergency passports, please visit our website for additional information.

Many travelers worldwide have reported unexpected flight cancellations and limited flight availability. If your travel has been disrupted, please contact your airline.

Outside of Santiago, the government of Chile has implemented quarantines in the following locations:

Easter Island/Rapa Nui
Temuco
Padre Las Casas
Puerto Williams
Chillán
Osorno

Residents in these locations are required to stay in their homes, and will require a permit to leave their residences. Transportation to or from these areas, and public services including schools and government offices may be closed. Sanitary customs checkpoints have been implemented for people entering the city of San Pedro de la Paz, as well as the following regions:

Arica y Parinacota
Tarapacá
Antofagasta
Atacama
Coquimbo
Los Lagos (including a separate sanitary barrier for the island of Chiloé)
Aysén
Magallanes

Visit the local government COVID-19 website for updated information.

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.
Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Chile.
Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States