Advices for travelers to Ecuador, post COVID!!
Dear traveller,
MINKA wants to tell you some important information if you are thinking to visit Ecuador & Galápagos Islands. This blog is a guideline for our visitors post covid:
Passengers are required to fill out and sign a personal health statement before coming down from the plane. This document along with the negative PCR result for COVID 19 should be handed in to the Ministry of Health representatives at the inmigration lounge before clearing customs. The PCR test has a total validity of 72 hours from the time the sample was taken
- PCR negative test taken up to 3 days before the arrival in Ecuador or
- Negative result of antigens test for COVID 19 also valid for 72 hours or
- COVID 19 vaccination certificate stating that both doses of the 2-dose vaccines have been received
All travellers that present symptoms related to COVID 19 (high temperature, cough, weakness or fatigue, loss of sense of smell or taste, etc) independently of the PCR or Antigen test negative results will have to be evaluated by the Ministry of Health representative before accessing the inmigration lounge. In the event of a suspect case, the person will have to take a quick test on the spot and if this test comes out positive the traveller will have to take a preventine quarantine for 10 days in the home or any other place of isolation (hotel, etc) at their own cost. If the result is negative no further measures will be required.
In the event that you want to take a trip to Yasuni National Park into one of the several lodges around, you will also be required to present a negative PCR test taken no longer than 72 hours before your arrival at the Park.
In case of Galapagos island trip, you will also be required to present the negative RT-PCR test taken al least 96 hous before arrival. It is essential that the test result clearly states that it was donde through a swab sample taken from the nose of throat. In case your home test result does not show this information you might need to take another test locally before flying to Galapagos.
General Procedure
This general procedure should be followed from your arrival at Ecuador airport and in every single place Ecuador:
- All passengers will be subject to body temperature control for detention of temperature higher than 37,5 degrees centigrades.
- Wear face masks in all public spaces at all times.
- Frequent hand wash/desinfection using water and soap or alcohol gel with a minimum concentration of 70%.
- Keep physical distance of about 2 meters to each other.
- Public surfaces must be cleaned and desinfected frequently.
- Try to avoid with more than ten people in enclosed palces without proper ventilation.
In case you present any symptoms associated to COVID 19 please inform your tour guide or you tour operator inmediately.
Galapagos is the first archipelago in Latin America to immunize the entire population!