Originally posted to Bloody Decks Sport Fishing forum by collaborator Nic Plumb.
Week of August 24th - Panama has loosened its closed border restrictions to allow international passenger flights into Tocumen International Airport but only for residents and nationals. Currently travelers are asked to prove residency before boarding their flight to Panama.
Also, the internal quarantine restrictions were positively tweaked for the people currently living and staying in Panama. Instead of being restricted to public movement for just 2 hours a day during 3 days week, the restriction was lightened to allow people to be out in public from 5am to 7pm, 3 days a week for men and the same for women. Also, certain essential industries (Hair Salons, Retail, and more construction projects) were given the green light to start operating again but under Covid-19 prevention guidelines.
These are positive and encouraging steps signaling that more changes will be done to these new restrictions in the coming weeks as Panama inches closer to opening its doors to non-residents and internal movement.
The Cabinet Council approved this Tuesday, August 25, the Updated National Reopening Plan, which is adopted based on biosafety indicators such as the rate of effective reproduction of COVID-19 cases and the capacity of beds available in the country.
September 7
*Per Health Ministry (MINSA) guidelines - use of private marinas and sportfishing will be permitted. Charters may restart.
They will also open free trade zones such as the Panama Pacific Special Economic Area and the Colon Free Zone, as well as tailors, dressmakers, shoe stores and car washes.
Mobility and Curfew
On September 14, the restriction on mobility by gender is lifted and the salvoconductos (movement-free passes) go out of effect (with the exception of companies that, due to their economic activity, require mobility of their workers during curfew hours).
The curfew will be 11:00 p.m. at 5:00 a.m. as of September 14.
Opening of other activities
On September 21, the state league sports activities will be restart, but without public audience.
On September 28, retail stores open in person, restaurants and inns, professional services, administrative and general services, national aviation, the beaches, rivers and natural parks, and the racetrack without the public audience.
***On October 12, the curfew will be lifted, including Sundays. International aviation, hotels, motels, rural hostels, lodging sites and complementary services, tourist activities, non-essential transport (recreational and tourist), creative and cultural industries, music and art academies, libraries, swimming pools, and the National Charity Lottery.****
As of Oct 12, Tourism is back in business so hotels, lodges, and outdoor related activities are good to go. We, YC in Panama, will begin accepting groups for end of October onward.
According to the plan presented by the Minister of Commerce and Industries (MICI), Ramón Martínez, the activities that remain pending are the opening date are: schools, colleges, universities and third-level institutions, in person. Also the nursery schools, kindergartens and CAIPI. There is also no date to open cinemas, theaters, museums, galleries and tourist sites with closed structures, gyms, children's entertainment rooms, casinos, bars, canteens, gardens, discos and the like, or for holding congresses, concerts, fairs, carnivals, parades, processions and other activities.
At the beginning of this reopening of economic activities, the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, said that the whole of society must assume joint responsibility in the observance of the measures that guarantee the safe and reliable progress of the country towards a full recovery of the economy. while protecting the lives of all citizens.