COVID-19 Information (June 2)

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Register for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important information from the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn and contact us at acstallinn@state.gov if you have any questions not answered here.

This information was updated on June 2, 2020

The Department of State has issued a  Global Level 4 Health Advisory  advising U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19.

  • Country-Specific Information:
    • The Emergency Situation officially ended on May 18, however some restrictions remain in place.  Up to date information can be found on the U.S. Embassy’s Webpage and on the Estonian Health Board’s English-language page.  An extensive list of questions and answers related to the emergency situation can be found here.
    • Anyone in Estonia who thinks they have symptoms, should ask for advice by calling their family physician or the family physician advisory line, 1220, or call 112 for an ambulance. If you have general questions about the virus, you can call the Estonian Alarm Center’s COVID-19 Helpline at 1247, which is in operation 24/7.
    • The Estonian Government has established a mandatory quarantine for all individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 and those living with and in close contact with the infected individuals.
      • No more than two people are legally allowed to gather inside or outside, except for families and those performing public duties.  All people need to maintain two meters of distance from one another in public spaces. This is referred to as the “2+2” distancing requirement. This requirement remains in force after the end of the Emergency Situation on May 18.
      • Cafes and restaurants are open and may resume normal operating hours and sales.  The “2+2” distancing requirements must be observed.
      • Outdoor exercise areas, playgrounds, skate parks, and dog walking areas are open.  Outdoor gyms and playgrounds will be fully disinfected and opened over the following week.
      • Adult open-air sports activities and training sessions can take place for groups of ten or less.  Sports teams may resume indoor training.  The “2+2” distancing requirements must be followed, disinfectants must be available for use, and all sports equipment must be regularly disinfected.
      • Open air museums, indoor museums, and the zoo are open.  Interactive exhibits, such as touch screens, will not be permitted.
      • Visitors must continue to adhere to the “2+2” distancing requirements and disinfectants must be available for use.
      • Public church services and other religious services may resume as long as the “2+2” social distancing requirements are followed and disinfectants are available for use.
      • Shopping centers, as well as service points, restaurants, and catering establishments are open.  The “2+2” social distancing requirements must be maintained and disinfectants must be readily available for use by consumers and staff.  Leisure facilities within shopping centers, including cinemas, bowling alleys, children’s playrooms, and casinos may reopen provided a 50% maximum capacity is allowed on the premises.
      • In-person learning has resume at some educational institutions in groups of no more than 10 students plus one instructor.  Tallinn public schools will be limited to contact groups with a maximum of five students. The “2+2” distancing requirements must be maintained.
      • Gyms and fitness clubs are open with social distancing measures in place.
      • Nightclubs, water pipe cafes, and adult clubs remain closed.
      • Public events including movies, performances, concerts, conferences, fairs, festivals, and sporting competitions may resume provided “2+2” distancing is observed and facilities are filled to no more than 50% capacity. The Estonian Government has taken the following measures. Events will be limited to 100 participants indoors and 100 participants outdoors through the end of June.  Starting July 1, events will be limited to 500 participants indoors and 1000 participants outdoors.
    • The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board has issued this information granting legal basis for the temporary stay in Estonia for foreigners who are unable to return home due to the COVID-19 emergency situation; exceptions apply. You may also contact us at acstallinn@state.gov if you have any questions on your residency status in Estonia.
    • An amendment to the Aliens Act has passed through the Riigikogu and has been entered into law by the Estonian Parliament. The amendment requires non-EU foreigners with expired short-term work permits to depart Estonia as soon as possible. This amendment does not impact individuals holding temporary residence permits. If current emergency border closures prevent departure, impacted individuals may temporarily remain in Estonia but must depart within 10 days of the emergency situation being lifted. Agricultural workers on short-term work permits will be granted the option of extending their work permit until July 31, 2020.
    • The Estonian Health Board and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have issued similar recommendations encouraging the use of face masks in public places, particularly in areas where it is difficult to follow social distancing guidelines such as grocery stores and public transportation.  The full CDC announcement can be found here.  The Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority has issued these instructions on how to make a homemade cloth mask.
    • The Estonian Health Board has created an online questionnaire to assist individuals in determining their risk of COVID-19 infection, and then provide personalized recommendations.  Data collected will also aid the Health Board in assessing and predicting further disease spread within Estonia.  The questionnaire can be completed at https://coronatest.ee.
    • The Estonian Health Board has confirmed a gradual restoration of scheduled medical treatments beginning April 21 in most parts of Estonia. Easing of restrictions will commence with specialist and dental appointments. All medical institutions and patients will be required to follow strict infection control measures during appointments. More information can be found on the Estonian Health Board website.
  • Entry and Exit Requirements:
    • The Government of Estonia has reintroduced border controls in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. Citizens of Estonia and holders of Estonian residency permit or right of residence, as well as foreign citizens whose family member lives in Estonia, are allowed entry.
    • On June 1, the Government of Estonia reopened borders to passengers arriving from other countries of the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom.  Travelers must be symptom free and must have been present in one of the approved countries for the previous 14 days.  Travelers arriving from the countries where the current COVID-19 infection rate is below 15 per 100,000 individuals over the previous 14 days will be able to enter without quarantine.
    • As it stands, quarantine-free entry applies to travelers from Austria, Bulgaria,  Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Romania,  Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.  Travelers from Sweden, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Malta, and Spain will have to quarantine on arrival.  These lists of countries and quarantine requirements will be reevaluated every week and can be found here.
    • Border controls will continue to apply to travelers coming from the United States who may be transiting other European countries.  All of these travelers will be subject to quarantine, and will only be admitted into Estonia if they are in one of the excepted categories allowing them entry into Estonia, including immediate relatives of an Estonian citizen or resident, for example.  For more information on excepted categories please have a look at the Police and Border Guard’s Website, as well as for more information on quarantine requirements.
    • The borders of the Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – opened to one-another on May 15.  Individuals with citizenship, residence permits, and permanent place of residence in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania can freely cross national borders between the three countries provided they are free of any COVID-19 symptoms.  No obligatory quarantine will be required, however local guidance and containment measures must be followed.
    • At this time, foreigners are allowed to transit Estonia on the way to their home country if they do not show symptoms of COVID-19. This includes entering at the southern border with Latvia and driving to Tallinn Airport. At the border control, travel documents and medical symptoms will be checked.
    • There are no legal restrictions on exiting Estonia.
    • FLIGHTS: Passenger flights from Tallinn Airport continue to remain limited.
    • Air Baltic has resumed flights from Tallinn to Riga, Vilnius, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Paris, and Vienna.  Flights to Berlin are expected to resume on June 4.  Direct flights are available from Amsterdam to the United States on KLM and United Airlines.  Travelers using Amsterdam can transit there and depart for the United States that same day.
    • Currently, Lufthansa flies from Tallinn to Frankfurt four times per week on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. This flight arrives in Germany after onward flights for the United States have departed and travelers are required to stay in the airport transfer zone until their onward flight the next day. One airport transit hotel, “My Cloud,” is available for travelers in transit status.
    • Flights from Tallinn airport to Helsinki on Finnair have resumed with two flights per day.  Schedules can be confirmed on the airline website.
    • Americans interested in departing Estonia for the United States are encouraged to look at the contact information for airlines at Tallinn Airport here, and to write us at acstallinn@state.gov.
    • FERRIES: Due to restrictions from Finnish authorities, passenger traffic on ferries from Tallinn to Helsinki is currently suspended except for workers with contracts in Finland.  Ferry traffic will continue only for freight and cargo transportation.  Please see here for more information on Finnish entry restrictions.
    • Additional information on these restrictions can be found here: https://vm.ee/en/coronavirus-2019-ncov.
    • Please note: Estonia’s neighboring countries of Finland, Russia, and Latvia have restricted entry into their countries.
  • Quarantine Information:
    • If a case is identified, the individual will be put in isolation. The Health Board will reach out to those who were possibly in close contact with an affected individual, and advise them to limit their social engagements.  If possible, people who were potentially exposed to the virus are encouraged to voluntarily quarantine themselves at home and continuously monitor their own health.
  • American Citizen Services:
    • The Department of State has suspended domestic printing of all routine passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA). Americans overseas may still apply for passports and CRBAs, however printing full-validity books will not occur until further notice.
    • The U.S. Embassy Tallinn can issue limited-validity passports for adults and minors.  Emergency passports can later be converted to a full-validity passport without additional fees.  Please contact us at acstallinn@state.gov for assistance.
    • The U.S. Embassy Tallinn remains available to assist with other American Citizen Services as needed.  Please email acstallinn@state.gov if you require assistance.
    • U.S. Citizens seeking information on the CARES Act, including stimulus checks for individuals and assistance for small business owners, are encouraged to visit the IRS Coronavirus Tax Relief and Economic Impact Payment site for more information.

By | 2 June, 2020 | Topics: Alert, Health Issues, Messages for U.S. Citizens, News, U.S. Citizen Services | Tags: , ,

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