QCOLOMBIA – Travelers to Colombia must present a negative covid-19 PCR test or a vaccination certificate starting today, December 14, 2021.
The PCR test must be taken within 72-hours of a flight if unvaccinated, while for the vaccinated, the last covid-19 vaccine dose must have been applied at least 14 days before the travel, the minister of Health, Fernando Ruiz, said in a statement.
“If you have been vaccinated less than 14 days before, you must also submit the PCR test 72 hours in advance. We are not going to prohibit the entry of any Colombian resident; everyone can enter,” he explained.
Health Minister Ruíz also stated that Colombia would not impose restrictions on airlines flying to the country.
Ruiz added that the government’s decision is based on an increase in infections in recent weeks in the country, as well as to allow the mass vaccination process to continue unimpeded.
The pre-flight requirements apply to tourists, Colombians, legal residents, diplomats and their families. All persons are also required to fill out the Migración Colombia web pre-registration form CheckMiG with information of their trip.
Colombia has registered 5,082,762 confirmed cases of covid-19 and 128,821 deaths from the disease, according to the government’s latest report.
No case of Omicron has been detected by health authorities in the country, but Minister Ruíz, has not ruled out that the infectious variant “could already be circulating in several regions of the country.”
On Monday, Colombia reported applying almost 60 million doses of the covid-19 vaccine, bringing the country’s vaccine coverage, including first and second doses, to 73% of the population.
Article originally appeared on Q Colombia and is republished here with permission.