Colombia to eliminate national mask mandate May 1

The Colombian government announced on Monday that it will relax measures against COVID-19 starting on May 1, effectively ending mask mandates and vaccination record checks in public spaces – two years after the pandemic first reached the South American country. 

"These measures will be applied in municipalities where at least 70% of residents are fully vaccinated and at least 40% have received the booster,” President Ivan Duque said in a statement from the presidential palace.

A partir del 1 de mayo se retira el uso de tapabocas en lugares cerrados, con excepción de: servicios de salud, hogares geriátricos, transporte y espacios cerrados de instituciones educativas. La medida aplicará en municipios con 70 % de segundas dosis y el 40 % de refuerzo. pic.twitter.com/PPxhvqwK0W

— Iván Duque 🇨🇴 (@IvanDuque) April 25, 2022

The elimination of the mask mandate in closed spaces will have some exceptions, however, and Colombians will still be required to mask up at health centers, nursing homes, schools and on public transportation. The government previously lifted the mask mandate in open spaces last February.

President Duque also noted that vaccination cards will no longer have to be shown in order to enter bars, night clubs, restaurants, cinemas, museums, libraries and other public spaces beginning next month.

“If municipalities comply with vaccination standards, we will be able to begin pulling back some of these non-pharmacological measures,” he added.  

In terms of travel, individuals arriving in Colombia must show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test conducted within 72 hours or an antigen test conducted within the last 48 hours.

Colombia has recorded the lowest number of deaths and cases since the first infection was detected in March 2020.

So far, Colombian health authorities have counted more than six million cases of COVID-19, including more than 140,000 deaths from the disease.

Of the 50 million inhabitants, 83% have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and nearly 70% have already received the second dose. In addition, 11.2 million Colombians have already gotten the booster.