Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Santiago - COVID-19 Update, 04/07/2020

U.S. Embassy, Santiago, Chile

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Santiago

Location: Chile

Event: COVID-19 Update

As of April 7, the Ministry of Health has confirmed 5116 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. The Department of State is not currently organizing an evacuation of American citizens from Chile. The Embassy strongly encourages those who wish to return to the U.S. to explore commercial flight options now, as there is no guarantee that the U.S. government will be able to arrange evacuation flights. Please note that evacuation flights are not free of charge. Learn more about evacuation flights here.

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 and out of Santiago. LATAM Airlines continues to operate flights from Santiago to the U.S. though not necessarily every day, and continues to decrease its flight options. Contact LATAM directly for more information.

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: Santiago Centro, Providencia, Ñuñoa, Las Condes, Vitacura, and Lo Barnechea. This quarantine will be lifted on Monday, April 13, at 5:00 am with the following exceptions:

· Santiago Centro: the part of the comuna north of Avenida Matta and Avenida Blanco Encalada will remain under quarantine

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

· Las Condes: the entire comuna will remain under quarantine

· Beginning Thursday, April 9 at 10:00 pm, a quarantine will be in effect for the eastern half of the comuna of Puente Alto (as divided by Avenidas Vicuña Mackenna and Concha y Toro)

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

· Beginning Wednesday, April 8, the use of face masks, whether commercial or homemade, will be mandatory in the comuna of Las Condes. Violators will face a fine of approximately 50,000 Chilean pesos

· During this quarantine, people will be 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 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

· On April 3, the government announced that health inspection checkpoints would be increased for the Metropolitan Region of Santiago and the cities of Concepción and Temuco beginning Thursday, April 9, and continuing through Sunday, April 12. These checkpoints are to prevent people from entering and leaving these locations. Only those carrying a salvoconducto will be allowed to go through checkpoints- permits (like those to leave your residence during quarantine) will not be sufficient to pass through a checkpoint. U.S. citizens should continue to respect quarantine and curfew measures during Holy Week

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)

· Beginning Wednesday, April 8, the use of masks on public transport (including taxis and ride-hailing services) will be mandatory

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

Temuco
Padre Las Casas
Nueva Imperial
Chillán
Osorno
Punta Arenas
San Pedro de la Paz
Hualpén

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)

On March 31, the government of Chile announced that sanitary controls will be implemented in bus terminals nation-wide, beginning in Santiago. Passengers will be subject to health inspection before being allowed to board buses.

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