Travel Advice Dominican Republic 2020 as at 13th August 2020
On 12th March 2020 the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic. This led to travel restrictions and border closures around the world and now, in June, we are starting to see these restrictions easing and people looking again to book holidays. Travel restrictions in each country vary and here, at Travala.com, we want to ensure that you, our customers, are provided with the latest travel advice for the key destinations favoured by you.
The first cases of Coronavirus19 (COVID-19) were confirmed in the city of Wuhan, China on 31st December 2019 and since then, it has proceeded to spread to 215 countries and territories with over 20,162,474 people so far testing positive for the virus.
Dominican Republic confirmed its first internally transmitted cases of COVID-19 on 1st March 2020 and by 13th August 2020, Dominican Republic had registered 81,094 cases and 1,346 deaths.
What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. This virus is a type of coronavirus which can cause illness in animals and humans. Coronavirus infections in humans can result in coryzal symptoms as seen in a common cold and more severe respiratory symptoms such as pneumonia. In recent years, we have seen outbreaks of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
SARS-CoV-2 is the most recently discovered type of coronavirus and it is spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth. The method of transmission is often via cough, sneeze or exhalation. People breathing in these droplets or touching the surfaces these droplets land on and who touch their eyes, nose or mouth are at risk of developing COVID-19.
The World Health Organisation continues to assess ongoing research on the means of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 but general advice is to maintain distance from others, regularly wash hands and avoid touching your face.
Many countries have implemented temporary travel restrictions and COVID-19 has impacted on events and activities. In the Travala.com travel advice newsletter, we will endeavour to provide you with the latest travel advice on key destinations.
Current Travel Advice for Dominican Republic, as at 13th August 2020
Is it safe to travel to Dominican Republic in 2020?
The Dominican Republic’s air borders are open. There are multiple daily flights available out of the country. A national State of Emergency was announced on Monday 20 July for a period of 45 days.
To enter the Dominican Republic, a negative COVID-19 (PCR) test that was completed no more than five days before arrival must be presented. If you don’t present this test, or you show symptoms on arrival, you’ll be tested at the airport. If you test positive, you’ll need to quarantine as instructed by authorities.
On 16th March 2020, the Dominican Republic suspended all flights from Europe and the arrival of all cruise ships for one month while those returning from Europe, China, South Korea and Iran need to be isolated in quarantine upon arrival in the Dominican Republic.
On 19th March 2020, the President of the Dominican Republic suspended the arrival of incoming passengers, effectively closing the borders of the Dominican Republic.
Within the Domican Republic, public transportation, including buses, metro trains, and cable cars have restarted with social distancing measures and reduced services while roadblocks are still in place to control internal travel within the country.
This page will have updates for the latest travel advice for the Dominican Republic.
Flight changes to and from Dominican Republic
Delta, in the US, operates a daily New York JFK-Santo Domingo flight while JetBlue also provides flights to and from the US.
Cancelled events in Dominican Republic
Events and public gatherings of all types have been suspended.
From 17th March 2020 all non-essential commercial activities have been suspended while on 18th May 2020, the Domican Republic government updated its night curfew with new hours from 7pm to 5am, Monday to Saturday and 5pm to 5am on Sundays with only doctors, health workers, journalists, and guardsmen exempt.
Coronavirus19 (COVID-19) FAQs – Travel to Dominican Republic
Question: Should I cancel my vacation to Dominican Republic?
Answer: In many countries, non-essential travel is being discouraged with the pandemic being a constantly evolving and changing situation. You should check for latest updates on travel advice for both your country of departure and your destination via respected Government websites and the Travala.com travel advice newsletter. With refundable bookings on Travala.com you can be assured that if you do need to cancel your vacation that you will be refunded.
Question: If I decide to travel to Dominican Republic, are there any precautions that can be taken to minimise the risk of infection?
Answer:
- Avoid contact with people displaying symptoms.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with hands, especially if unwashed.
- Make sure to wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser containing at least 60% alcohol.
- While the focus is on COVID-19 please ensure that you are up to date with your routine vaccinations, such as the flu vaccine and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Question: Is there an increased risk of infection whilst travelling by air?
Answer: Due to how air is filtered and circulated on airplanes, many viruses and germs do not spread easily. Many countries now also operate immigration medical checks to identify any passengers who may pose a risk.
Question: Should travellers wear masks in Dominican Republic?
Answer: Anyone who displays symptoms of COVID-19 is encouraged to wear a mask as it restricts the spread of the virus. For the uninfected, the wearing of masks is not deemed to significantly reduce the risk of infection, but you may wish to consider the customs of your destination. For instance, all passengers travelling on trains in Dominican Republic must wear a face mask while they are encouraged on all other modes of transport.
Question: What can I expect on arriving and departing at airports?
Answer: In some countries screening for all passengers entering and leaving their country is being conducted. Before being allowed to board a flight, you may be questioned about your health and your travel history and have your temperature taken.
Travel advice pages
- Travel advice China
- Travel advice United States
- Travel advice Indonesia
- Travel advice United Kingdom
- Travel advice Thailand
- Travel advice Australia
- Travel advice Vietnam
- Travel advice Mexico
- Travel advice India
