Traveling to Panama? Be prepared to quarantine if unvaccinated

Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY
·2 min read

Unvaccinated U.S. travelers entering Panama must quarantine upon arrival.

The Central American country added the U.S. to its list of "high-risk countries" on Thursday, a designation that makes entry for the unvaccinated more difficult through a mandatory 72-hour quarantine for travelers who can't show proof of vaccination.

Unvaccinated tourists must reserve and pay for the quarantine period at authorized hotels, which include properties operated by Westin, Wyndham and Holiday Inn.

After 72 hours, travelers will be required to take a coronavirus test. If they test negative, they can leave the quarantine. If positive, they will need to complete a 14-day quarantine in a hotel hospital and will be responsible for the costs.

Unvaccinated travelers will also need to present a negative coronavirus test no more than 72 hours old to enter or pay $50 for a rapid test at the airport if a test is not possible in that time frame.

►Hold off on that flight to the Caribbean: CDC raises travel alert level for Belize, Saint Kitts and Nevis

► Which EU countries are open to tourists? A breakdown of EU travel restrictions by country

Fully vaccinated travelers and children under 12 will be exempt from testing and quarantine requirements. All travelers, regardless of vaccination status, are required to fill out and present an electronic health affidavit to their airline before boarding a plane to Panama.

The country is the latest to enforce more stringent entry requirements on travelers from the U.S., which is facing its fourth COVID-19 surge. The country reported a seven-day moving average of 145,675 new cases as of Tuesday, with nearly 54% of the population fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

► US travel to the Netherlands: The Netherlands to drop quarantine requirement for vaccinated travelers — weeks after tightening restrictions

Follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter: @bailey_schulz.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Panama adds quarantine requirement for travelers from the US

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