Updated May 7, 2020
Link to Embassy Minsk COVID-19 Alerts
(Note – NEW information is in bold)
Country-Specific Information:
The Department of State has issued a Global Level 4 Health Advisory advising U.S. citizens to reconsider travel abroad due to the global impact of COVID-19.
U.S. Embassy Minsk will be sending frequent updates to ensure all U.S. citizens in Belarus have the latest information about COVID19 and local conditions. Information updated within the last 24 hours will be in bold and prefaced with (NEW).
Location: Belarus
Event: International commercial flight options currently exist in Belarus. U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States should make commercial arrangements as soon as possible unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. The U.S. government does not anticipate arranging repatriation flights in Belarus at this time.
Embassy Minsk is reaching out to American citizens in Belarus to ascertain their plans for returning to the United States or remaining in Belarus. If you are an American citizen in Belarus, please contact us at ConsularMinsk@state.gov to let us know if you plan to remain in Belarus for the foreseeable future or if you are actively seeking to return to the United States.
(NEW) On May 7, 2020, the Belarus Ministry of Health reported there are 20,168registered cases of COVID-19 in Belarus; 5,067 patients have recovered, and 116individuals have died. The Ministry has not provided a cumulative total of recovered patients, so the total number of COVID-19 infections in Belarus to date is unknown. According to the Ministry of Health, Belarus has conducted over 229,000 tests since January 23. Updated information is available on the Ministry’s new COVID-19 website: stopcovid.belta.by . Belarus reported its first case February 28.
On April 8, 2020, the Minsk City Executive Committee introduced new social distancing guidelines for businesses and public institutions in Minsk, Including:
- Restaurants and cafes must place tables at least 1.5 meters apart.
- Hotels must ensure guests take their temperature daily.
- Employers must prohibit sick employees from working.
- Library reading rooms are closed to the public
- Large events in museums have been cancelled.
- Hairdressers and beauty salons must work by appointment only, with a minimum five-minute interval between clients.
- Churches and other religious institutions must ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of public areas.
The full list of measures in Russian is available in Russian on the website of the Minsk City Executive committee. For other cities, please check the website of your local city executive committee.
Travel options from Minsk to the United States are limited but are still available. While there are still daily flights available from Minsk to airports in the EU and UK with connections to the United States, U.S. Citizens currently in Belarus who wish to return to the United States should arrange for immediate departure to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain in Belarus for an indefinite period. Please note, Abu Dhabi and Istanbul are no longer options for flying to the United States.
As of May 7, 2020, Belavia is operating out of Minsk International Airport with connections to the United States via the following cities:
Amsterdam
Frankfurt
London
