People entering Ecuador must do so with a negative PCR test

The National Emergency Operations Committee (COE) issued this Monday, January 11, 2021, new guidelines for all people who enter the country by land, sea or air, after the detection of the first case in Ecuador of the variant of COVID- 19, originally from the UK.

Every person who enters Ecuador must present a mandatory negative RT-PCR test carried out up to ten days before arrival in the country.

They explain that no type of exception will be considered. Therefore, the airlines that operate to Ecuador must verify at the point of origin that the passenger has a negative PCR test.

Upon arrival, the authorities will randomly perform a rapid antigen test, which will be taken at air, sea and land entry points. In the event that the test is positive, the passenger becomes a patient and must perform mandatory isolation for ten days in the shelters assigned by the Ministry of Health.

If the rapid antigen test is negative, the person should not perform mandatory isolation.

From Wednesday, January 13, this provision comes into effect. Prior to this date, it was not a requirement to present a negative PCR test. But with the confirmation of the first case of the variant of COVID-19, detected in the United Kingdom, the authorities decided to adopt new prevention measures.

The “zero patient” is a 50-year-old man who arrived in Ecuador from London on December 12, 2020. He is under surveillance in Los Ríos and 14 more people are part of the epidemiological fence. Also, two more people are being tested in Guayaquil.

According to the Secretary of Communication, Caridad Vela, from December 22, 2020 to January 10, 2021, 21.804 passengers entered. Of this total, 11% arrived without a negative PCR test and only 50 passengers tested positive for antigens.

The new regulations require all airlines, whose final destination is Ecuador, that if the passenger does not have a PCR test, he cannot board. In the case of arriving at any of the international airports, the passenger who does not appear with the proof will be returned on the next flight.