The closure of the borders in Colombia has been extended due to the health emergency caused by the covid-19

The national government, with the 1550 decree of 2020, extended the total closure of its borders for another month and a half with the aim of reducing the spread of covid-19. From 1 December 2020 to 16 January 2021, the resolution will come into force, which will exempt humanitarian emergency activities, the transport of goods and merchandise, fortuitous event or force majeure e the balance of the national territory of foreign citizens in coordination with the district and municipal authorities with the support of the Special Administrative Unit for Migration Colombia.

The decree provides for the closure of land and river crossings of the borders with the Republic of Panama, the Republic of Ecuador, the Republic of Peru, the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. In case of exceptions, they must comply with the biosecurity protocols established by the government.

Decree 1550 amends articles 5 and 9 of opinion 1168 of 25 August 2020, which issued instructions to mitigate the pandemic and ordered selective isolation with responsible individual distancing. Therefore, on November 28, the Ministry of the Interior underlined that, by virtue of the health emergency generated by covid-19 and in favor of maintaining public order, In any municipality of the national territory, public or private events involving an agglomeration of people can be organized according to the provisions and protocols issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Nor will discos or dance clubs be enabled and the ban on the consumption of intoxicating drinks in public spaces and shops continues.

However, the sale of intoxicating drinks and the mayors can continue the development of pilot plans for the reactivation of establishments and commercial premises that provide restaurant or bar services for the consumption of alcoholic beverages inside enclosed spaces and for the organization of company fairs, animal husbandry or events compliant with the biosecurity protocols and the regulations on agglomerations issued by the Ministry of Health.

The decree also provides that, if a municipality shows a negative change in the behavior of the pandemic, eThe Ministry of Health will send a report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the corresponding information giving an account of the epidemiological situation in the region. so that the corresponding measures are taken and the spread of the virus is prevented.

Until now, health authorities today confirmed 8,763 new cases, 183 deaths for a total of 36,584 e the recovery of 1,204,452 patients. The active cases are 64,324. Bogotá is the city with the highest number of cases, with 374,000, followed by Antioquia with 213,000 and Valle del Cauca with 108,000.

Therefore, the Ministry of Health insists on minimum hand washing for 20 seconds upon arrival at the place of residence; before preparing and consuming food, before and after using the bathroom and after changing diapers for children and adults. Also recommend covering your nose when coughing or sneezing, do not smoke inside the houses, clean and disinfect walls, floors, ceilings and surfaces and keep the file ventilation and natural lighting in enclosed spaces.