New Bogotá restrictions include a citywide lockdown for the weekend, six more areas in strict quarantine and changes to some existing measures.
The quarantine rules of Bogotá changed yet again on Tuesday night, as Mayor Claudia López announced further restrictions in six more localidades and a citywide lockdown over the coming weekend, on top of the existing measures. We have a timeline of dates and times at the end to help you keep track.
The mayor also asks all residents of Bogotá to step up their vigilance and be extra careful with mask-wearing, distancing and isolation as well as getting yourself tested if necessary. With light enforcement of the rules so far, it’s hard to know if that call will be heeded.
The big news is another citywide lockdown. As our nightly curfew ends on Friday, we will go immediately into strict quarantine for the whole city. That means ley seca, only essential services open and official mobility restrictions for everyone except health workers and carers. It’s not yet clear whether exercise or pet walking is counted as an exception, but that has been allowed in reality in similar previous periods. It’s also to be assumed that you can visit the essential shops, as long as only one person per household does so and you are under pico y cédula (see below).
Read also: What is happening with COVID-19 vaccination in Colombia
The strict quarantine by area (localidad) is also changing. While Teusaquillo has had its period of strict measures shortened by a week, Kennedy and Fontibón remain in quarantine for the whole period. Suba, Engativá and Usaquén also stay on schedule. On top of that, six southern localidades will be in quarantine after the weekend lockdown. Those are Bosa, Ciudad Bolívar, Puente Aranda, Rafael Uribe Uribe, San Cristóbal and Usme.
If you’re not sure which localidad you are in or visiting, you should be able to see the division lines on most interactive maps, or work them out with a map like this. If you need fine detail, look here. You will need to go through the menu: ordenamiento territorial; entidad territorial; localidad.
Pico y cédula remains in place, remember that you are restricted from shopping on even-numbered dates if your ID number ends in an even number and conversely not allowed out on odd-numbered dates if your ID ends in an odd number. Passports OR cédulas are accepted. In practical terms, only major shops and banks are really enforcing this, and it doesn’t apply to restaurants or bars.
Bogotá’s upcoming lockdown measures
The timeline for upcoming quarantine dates is given below, correct as of January 12. It’s hard to know whether things will change again. One thing is for sure, you can expect further measures to be announced soon, possibly even before the weekend. Watch this space.
- Until Jan. 15: Nightly curfew citywide 8pm-4am (Friday)
- From Jan. 15 (8pm) to Jan. 18 (4am): Full lockdown throughout the city (Friday to Monday)
- Jan. 18 (4am): Strict lockdown finishes in Suba, Engativá, Usaquén and Teusaquillo. Lockdown begins in Bosa, Ciudad Bolívar, Puente Aranda, Rafael Uribe Uribe, San Cristóbal and Usme (Monday)
- Jan. 21 (11.59pm): Strict lockdown finishes in Kennedy and Fontibón (Thursday)
- Jan. 28 (11.59pm): Strict lockdown finishes in Bosa, Ciudad Bolívar, Puente Aranda, Rafael Uribe Uribe, San Cristóbal and Usme (Thursday)
UPDATED 12 Jan 2021
