The Chilean Ministry of Health, through a press conference, announced on Thursday, April 1st, that the following measures will be implemented as of Monday April 5th:
- The country's borders will be closed during the month of April. This measure includes the following:
- Travelling abroad is restricted for a period of 30 days, both for Chilean citizens and residing foreigners. It will be allowed, through the platform of Comisaría Virtual, by means of a form, to request extraordinary authorization to travel abroad, for urgent and qualified humanitarian reasons, health treatments, essential tasks for the proper functioning of the country or when the person leaving is not returning to Chile.
- The entry of non-resident foreigners into the country is also prohibited for 30 days, with the exception of those duly authorized by the Chilean consular authority in the country of origin, based on well-founded health criteria issued by the health authority, always considering the general interest of the country. Included in the exception are those foreigners who are not on the list that the World Health Organization has declared as "community-transmitted".
- Truck drivers entering the country through the land border will be required to have a PCR test taken within a maximum of 72 hours before the entry to the country and random antigen tests will be carried out by health personnel on drivers entering the country. If a driver tests positive for coronavirus, he will be placed in a sanitary residence and the transport company will be responsible for the operation of the load and the truck.
- A limitation to essential activities is established:
- Some business lines will be temporarily eliminated for fifteen days from the platform of Comisaría Virtual, after which their continuity will be evaluated, according to the pandemic situation. Among the business lines to be eliminated are: wholesale of clothing and accessories, footwear in specialized commerce, wholesale of perfumes, toiletries, cosmetics, among others.
- The definition of essential household goods is restricted.
- Former definition: "Those goods whose purpose is to be used or consumed by individuals within the home and those necessary for the existence, stability, conservation and security of the home".
- New definition: Essential Goods and Services for Domestic Use: "are those goods or services that are intended to be used by people inside the home in communes that are in phase 1 or 2 of the Step by Step Plan, and which are essential for subsistence, teleworking, distance education and the conservation and security of the property".
As an example, and without being exhaustive, the following list of goods are considered to fall into this category:
- Goods related to the subsistence of the individual: all kinds of food and drinks; pharmaceutical and personal hygiene products; cleaning articles; articles necessary for maternity and early childhood; articles for pets, such as food; articles for the maintenance of gardens.
- Goods related to telework or distance learning: electronic and office supplies, such as computers, printers, books, etc.
- Goods related to the operation, maintenance and security of the household: kitchen items; bedroom items; bathroom items; hardware items; furniture, etc.
- Other goods: batteries and vehicle batteries, matches, tobacco, tires, etc.
- The complete list: here
Also, it is established that in communes in Step 1 (Quarantine) or Step 2 (Transition), a different good from the above mentioned may not be accessed by delivery on weekends or holidays.
- The sale of products in supermarkets in communes in Step 1 and 2 will be limited. In accordance with the new definition of essential goods and services for domestic use, the sale of the articles of commerce that do not qualify under the new definition will be limited in communes that are in phase 1 (every day) and 2 (only on weekends) of the Step by Step Plan.
- The stores shall require the general movement permit or the Single Collective Wholesaler's Essential Permit to those persons who wish to enter them.
- The personnel that are considered essential within the activities that are authorized, including public officials, are limited. To this end:
- Within the definitions of the Step by Step Plan, the scope or definition of essential or indispensable worker is included: "Those workers and/or service providers of a company or public or private institution, whose line of business has been declared essential, who perform functions that cannot be performed telematically and that are essential for the activity of the line of business, such as operational, logistical and productive tasks, systems maintenance, security, cleaning and sanitization. This definition expressly excludes administrative, accounting, financial, advisory and consulting work. Included in this definition are workers who provide minimum services that must be ensured in the event of a strike".
- The Single Collective Permit shall incorporate the mandatory disclosure of:
- The total number of workers of the company (hired or rendering services to the company).
- The number of workers or service providers that are considered essential and for which the permit is requested.
- The task of the worker considered essential and for which the permit is requested (operational, logistical and productive tasks, systems maintenance, security, cleaning and sanitization).
- Individual movement permits are limited. For those communes that are in phase 1, two individual permits per week are maintained, but during weekends or holidays only one of the mentioned permits may be used.
Additionally, it is now expressly stated that this permit cannot be requested to attend social or family meetings. Also, the permission to travel to voting places is eliminated.
- The curfew schedule is modified. It is moved forward to 21:00 hrs for the whole country starting on Monday, April 5.
- Maximum capacity is established for religious services in Phase 1. A maximum capacity of 5 people shall be established for religious services with the public in Phase 1 of the Step by Step Plan. For these purposes, the minister of worship, identified with a credential issued by a Church, Cult or Religious Organization duly recognized by the State of Chile, may issue a certificate identifying up to 5 people who will attend the religious service.
- The hours of the " Choose to Live Healthy Strip" are extended. Sports activities will be allowed from 06.00 hrs to 09.00 hrs from Monday to Sunday.
A new version of the Instructions for the Obtention of Permits to Circulate, with the detail of the measures indicated above, is available in the following link.
AUTHOR: Carolina Baeza.
