From December 1, new requirements apply to enter Ecuador by omicron variant

There is no scientific evidence that omicron variant of the coronavirus at this time is present in the country.

So stated Juan Zapata, President of the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) national, in a television interview.

Zapata added that from this Wednesday, December 1, at 00:00, new entry requirements to Ecuador will be in force.

Requirements

He explained that what was decided by Ecuador should be communicated by Chancellery to consulates and embassies of other nations, while the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works (MTOP) must inform airlines since they are the ones that require these requirements at origin.

The Ecuadorian Government decided the entry ban to all travelers whose point of origin, stopover or transit are countries in Africa: South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique and Egypt.

For the rest of the countries, travelers over 16 years of age must present two requirements to enter Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands by air, land or sea: negative PCR test at least 72 hours before boarding and the vaccination certificate with full doses of at least fourteen days after completing the scheme, and for children under 15 years, 11 months, 29 days up to 2 years, negative PCR test.

Eight measures announced by President Guillermo Lasso against the omicron variant

With respect to northern border, the Governments of Ecuador and Colombia agreed to reopen from December 1.

Colombia

With Colombia, Zapata mentioned that it begins in phases and the first contemplates the Rumichaca international bridge, in the province of Carchi, but only for international freight transport from 08:00 to 17:00.

In 30 days and if the epidemiological situation allows it, there would be a second level with the international bridge in San Miguel and in addition to goods, pedestrian flows would be incorporated at the same times.

After fifteen days there would be a third phase in which private transport with vehicle restriction would be incorporated. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, odd plates; Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, even plates, and on Sunday there will be no circulation.

Then there would be freedom of movement.

For the omicron variant everything goes into review and analysisadded the official, including the mandatory return to face-to-face classes given that the schedule or the LigaPro order of expand capacity for the finals of the soccer championship.