Colombia Extends Selective Quarantine Until End-February

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Colombia will extend a so-called selective quarantine until the end of February, President Ivan Duque said in a nightly address on Wednesday, January 13th.

The Andean country began more than five months of lockdown in March to control the spread of coronavirus. It moved to a much-looser “selective” quarantine at the start of September, allowing dining at restaurants and international flights.

The selective quarantine was due to lift on January 16th, but will now run until February 28th, Duque said. A health state of emergency declared by the government is due to lift on the same day.

Mayors and governors will be able to impose restrictions on mobility as needed, Duque said, such as when occupation levels of intensive care units increases.

Following an increase in coronavirus infections, Colombia’s capital Bogota has imposed a range of restrictions on mobility in the city, including strict two-week quarantines in many of its neighborhoods.

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