Ecuador
Travel restrictions
Ecuador approved resumption of commercial flight operations beginning June 1st, 2020, with limited flight capacity.
All arriving passengers are required to have the results of a PCR (polymerise chain reaction) COVID test from within the last ten days prior to arrival in Ecuador. If testing is not available in the departure country, arriving passengers need to sign a document promising they will undergo testing by Ecuadorian health authorities.
A traveler who presents symptoms of COVID upon arrival in Ecuador is required to perform a PCR or rapid antigen test (possibly at their own expense) and proceed to quarantine even if the traveler presents a negative PCR test at the airport of entry.
As of August 15th 2020, as long as travelers do not present symptoms of COVID, they do not need to perform mandatory preventive quarantine and may freely move within the continental territory of Ecuador (note there are special rules for the Galapagos Islands).
All travelers arriving from the European Union, the United Kingdom, South Africa, or Australia, must present a negative PCR test taken within 10 days prior to arrival, and must take a rapid antigen test at the airport upon arrival in Ecuador.
Regardless of whether a negative COVID PCR test is provided, random rapid antigen testing may be conducted at the airport and upon arrival. The testing will be administered by the Ministry of Health. If the rapid antigen test is positive, the traveler must isolate for 10 days. The isolation will take place at a shelter designated by the Ministry of Health. As of January 11th, 2021, it is no longer permissible to perform the isolation at a private residency or hotel. If the rapid antigen test is negative, no isolation is required.
As of March 22nd 2021, all travelers (including minors) arriving in Ecuador must provide proof of a negative COVID RT-PCR or rapid antigen test taken no more than three days before entering the country or present a vaccination card showing the traveler received a complete series of the COVID vaccine.
As an alternative to the above requirement, travelers previously diagnosed as COVID positive, but with more than one month since the onset of symptoms, may present a medical certificate from their country of origin attesting to their recovery and current good health.
From July 1st 2020, tourist activities will be allowed in the Galapagos.
Any international traveler wishing to transit via Quito or Guayaquil International Airport to the Galapagos should first arrive in-country with proof of a negative COVID test taken in the last three days (as per instructions above). In addition, all persons present in Ecuador (regardless of nationality or residence status) wishing to travel to the Galapagos Islands must present negative results from a RT-PCR test taken no more than 96 hours prior to arrival in the Galapagos. This can be the same test as the test used to get into Ecuador, assuming it was taken within 96 hours of arrival to the Galapagos. If the initial test was not taken within 96 hours of arrival to the Galapagos, the traveler will need to take a second test in Ecuador at a laboratory recognized by the Quality Assurance Agency of the Services of Health and Prepaid Medicine (ACESS), at their own expense. They will need to wait for the results of this test before traveling to the Galapagos. With the required negative results in hand, there is no quarantine required upon arrival in the Galapagos (nor to return to the mainland of Ecuador).
Measures taken by the government
On June 15th 2020, President Moreno renewed the state of emergency for a further 60 days. It will now remain in force until August 15th. On August 14th 2020, President Moreno extended the state of emergency through September 15th, 2020. This includes general nationwide measures such as self-isolation advised for people 60 years old and older & mandatory use of face masks in public spaces.
The Government of Ecuador lifted movement restrictions throughout the country, but some provinces maintain local restrictions on movement.
On December 11th, 2020, the health emergency was extended until March 14th, 2021.
On January 2nd, 2021, Ecuador’s Constitutional Court concluded that the nationwide state of emergency declared on December 21st, 2020 and its associated movement restrictions are unconstitutional. Certain provinces and municipalities have now adopted their own mobility restrictions.
The Ecuadorian Government declared a 30-day State of Emergency on April 1st, 2021 for eight provinces: Azuay, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, ManabÃ, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas y Loja. The State of Emergency ordered a curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
The Government of Ecuador provides coronavirus-related information at this website (Spanish only): https://www.coronavirusecuador.com.
Please see https://www.gestionderiesgos.gob.ec/coe-nacional/ (Spanish only) for general information regarding restrictions and https://www.gestionderiesgos.gob.ec/resoluciones-coe/ (Spanish only) for specific resolutions for the most up to date information regarding curfew times and other restrictions.
Testing
A list of laboratories licensed to perform RT-PCR and rapid antigen tests is available on the website maintained by Ecuador’s Medical Services and Prepaid Medicine Quality Assurance Agency (ACESS): http://www.calidadsalud.gob.ec/laboratorios-autorizados/
RT-PCR tests cost between $80 and $120.
You should advise the laboratory that the test is needed for imminent air travel and results are needed within 72 hours. Laboratories generally promise results within 24 to 48 hours.
Emergency number (related to COVID-19) while visiting the country
Individuals with symptoms may call 171 or 911.
Source:
US Embassy in Ecuador https://ec.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information-ecu-2/
Published on May 25th 2021 (checked on June 16th 2021)
For more information please visit our COVID-19 Updates page at https://www.hiddentrails.com/article/covid19update.aspx