Colombia Switches from General Quarantine to ‘Health Emergency’ June 1; Ban Continues on All Domestic, International Flights & Inter-City Travel Through June 30

Colombia President Ivan Duque announced May 19 in a nationwide address that Colombia will transition from Covid-19 “general quarantine” to potentially less-severe, city-specific “health emergency” regulations starting June 1 through August 31.

Differences between “quarantine” and “health emergency” regulatory limits could prove to be relatively great in areas lacking Covid-19 threats. But regulations likely will be less liberal in other areas with greater relative problems and challenges with Covid-19.

For example: Mayors of big cities such as Medellin, Bogota and Cali likely would continue to enforce relatively stricter limits than those in rural areas, although “gradual reopenings” likely will expand to more economic sectors in both big and small cities.

Schools for example could start to offer limited in-person, physical attendance with alternating shifts — along with mandatory masks and physical distancing — perhaps alternating with “virtual classes,” starting in August, President Duque explained.

Likewise, libraries and museums could reopen with strict limits on total people entering, along with mandatory masks and other prevention measures, he said.

Meanwhile, all international and national passenger flights will continue to be banned through at least June 30, except for rare cases of emergencies or humanitarian repatriations, President Duque clarified.

However, President Duque also announced two days earlier in a separate nationwide address that international travel continues to be the most problematic. Therefore, it’s possible that Colombia could announce further bans or restrictions on international flights well beyond June 30.

One key reason: Such flights don’t depend solely upon Colombia decisions, President Duque explained. Rather, international flight health-protective standards and protocols must be developed in coordination with International Air Transport Association (IATA), various airlines, various airports, transport sector employees, the World Health Organization (WHO), various national governments and health regulators in various states or cities. What’s more, Colombia might decide to have even tougher limits.

While Colombia’s national Covid-19 quarantine presumptively had been set to expire May 24, the new order extends it to May 31.

This means that metro Medellin and other big cities here are likely to extend “pico y cedula” shopping-days rotations for at least another week beyond May 24 – and possibly even beyond that.

Persons 70 years and older likewise will have mandatory quarantine extended through June 30, along with younger persons with pre-existing health conditions such as heart trouble and diabetes, President Duque said.

Public transport likewise will continue with a 35% capacity limit, while schools and universities will continue with “virtual” classes through all of June and July.

At least 80% of public employees likewise must continue telecommuting, while private-sector office workers also should continue to work from home whenever possible, he added.

Meanwhile, as of May 19, the Health Ministry had recorded 16,935 Coronavirus cases nationally, with 613 deaths and 4,050 recoveries.

Bogota leads with 5,934 cases, followed by Atlantico (1,923), then Cali/Valle del Cauca (1,883), then Bolivar (1,576), Amazonas (1,220); Meta (954) and Medellin/Antioquia (561).