Kashlee KucheranLast Updated
Starting on January 4, 2021, the government of Peru will be reinstating the blanket 14-day quarantine for all passengers entering the country.
The implementation of the 14-day quarantine for all arrivals comes from fear of new strains of the virus that originated from the UK and South Africa, that have now found their way into the USA and other Latin American countries.
Since Peru had been one of the most locked-down nations on the planet with ultra-strict curfews, movement restrictions and shut borders for the first 7 months of the pandemic, the new quarantine rule doesn’t come as a surprise.
Peru just reopened for tourism on October 5, 2020, which gave the nation only three months of tourism recovery until these new restrictions come into play.
On December 21, 2020, Peru banned all flights over 8 hours in length, which was the first safeguard to the new virus strains coming out of Europe. However, the government now feels they need to take increased action against the uncertainty of the new strains.
14-Day Quarantine With No Exceptions
The new 14-day quarantine rule will apply to all arrivals into Peru, regardless if the passenger is a citizen or foreign tourist. Since the new variants of the virus had now spread to most countries, Peru is not making any exceptions on the origin of the passenger.
Citizens will be expected to complete the quarantine at their homes, while tourists are expected to stay in government-approved hotels, which have not yet been clarified.
There is no current end date for the new quarantine rule.
PCR Testing Still In Effect
The new 14-day quarantine rule is in addition to the 72-hour PCR testing rule, which still applies for all passengers entering Peru.
Travelers still need to fulfill the testing requirement which demands a PCR test be taken, with negative results available, within 72 hours of departure from the first embarkation point into the country. Without proof of these negative results, the passenger will not be able to board their flight into Peru.
Random Testing On Arrival
In conjunction with the 14-day quarantine and PCR testing requirements, throughout the month of January, the government of Peru will also be randomly testing arrivals at the airport.
If any passenger tests positive upon arrival, they will be transferred to a quarantine facility at the Pan American Village in Lima, where they will have to remain for 14 days.
The new quarantine and testing restrictions will essentially shut down Peru’s already crippled tourism industry once again.
While Peru welcomed over 4 million visitors in 2019, being closed most of 2020 only allowed a tiny fraction of that number. Peru’s tourism keeps taking hit after hit as the biggest international draw, Machu Picchu, has also recently closed due to local protests.
Despite the tough lockdowns throughout most of last year, Peru was one of the hardest hit nations in the western hemisphere, recording over 1,000,000 total cases. However, case numbers have been plateauing since September 2020, and health authorities seem driven to keep the downward trend going.
credit: worldometers
Read More: See which countries in Latin America are open for tourism, companies offering travel insurance that covers covid-19, and a country-by-country guide of all entry requirements
Sources: Osac.gov / ElPeruano.pe /
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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories