Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Santiago - COVID-19 Update (05/05/2020)

U.S. Embassy, Santiago, Chile

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Santiago

Location: Chile

Event: Changes to Comunas in Quarantine Announced – Recoleta, Cerrillos, Quilicura, Mejillones and Antofagasta begin quaratine Tuesday, May 5

***The Embassy is sending STEP messages each Tuesday, or more often if there is significant information to share. The U.S. Embassy Chile’s webpage on COVID-19 continues to be updated daily***

As of May 5, the Ministry of Health has confirmed 22,016 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.

As of May 1, LATAM has resumed commercial flights between Santiago and the U.S. As commercial flight options and availability may change with little notice, the U.S. Embassy continues to encourage all citizens who are not prepared to remain in Chile for an indefinite period of time to take advantage of commercial flights to the U.S. while they are available. The Department of State is not currently organizing an evacuation of American citizens from Chile. Please note that evacuation flights are not free of charge. Learn more about evacuation flights here.

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.

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

The following measures apply to Santiago metropolitan area:

· A quarantine is in effect for the following neighborhoods (comunas) in Santiago, with the following details:

· Santiago Centro

· Recoleta (begins Tuesday, May 5 at 10:00 pm)

· Quinta Normal

· Independencia

· Estación Central

· Quilicura (begins Tuesday, May 5 at 10:00 pm)

· Ñuñoa: the part of the comuna north of Avenida Grecia is under quarantine

· Pedro Aguirre Cerda

· Cerrillos (begins Tuesday, May 5 at 10:00 pm)

· Puente Alto: the western half of the comuna (as divided by Avenidas Vicuña Mackenna and Concha y Toro) is under quarantine

· La Pintana: the part of the comuna north of Avenida El Observatorio is under quarantine

· San Ramón: the part of the comuna south of Americo Vespucio is under quarantine

· El Bosque

· San Bernardo: the part of the comuna east of Autopista Central (Route 5) and north of Avenida Colón is under quarantine

· Note: Neighborhood-wide quarantines may be extended or modified by Chilean authorities at any time

· The use of face masks, whether commercial or homemade, is mandatory in the comuna of Las Condes.

· While under quarantine, people are allowed to obtain a permit to leave their residences only under certain 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 Comisaría 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

· Checkpoints for health inspections are present 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

· Entry into nursing homes by authorized personnel only (no family visits)

· Mandatory use of masks on public transport (including taxis and ride-hailing services)

· Mandatory use of masks in elevators and in enclosed spaces where more than 10 people are present

· Sanitary controls in bus terminals, nation-wide

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

Arica
Mejillones (begins Tuesday, May 5 at 10:00 pm)
Antofagasta (begins Tuesday, May 5 at 10:00 pm)
Angol
Victoria
Punta Arenas

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 following regions:

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

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