Traveling to Armenia during Covid: February 2021 updates

During the whole past year, all the countries in the world were fighting against the Covid19, and Armenia was not left out either.

The first case in Armenia was discovered in early March, so to hinder the further enrollment of the coronavirus a state of emergency was declared in Armenia, following the closure of all institutions, borders, and intercity travel. The state of emergency had been extended twice. For the second period some lockdown rules were softened, and non-essential public institutions were given the permission to reopen with some proviso that the businesses will demand face masks, nitrile gloves and limit the number of people gathered in close spaces.

Latest updates: February 2021

Though the state of emergency has expired, some of the limitations are still in force. Wearing a mask is still obligatory, whether you are in outdoor or indoor public areas including in any type of public transportation. It is very much recommended to use hand sanitizers and keep the social distancing. It is important to note that you can buy a mask at nearly any supermarket or pharmacy so it shouldn`t be a hassle for anyone.

Wearing a mask is not required when you are in a café, restaurant or any other food court. You can take off your mask also when training in a gym, driving your own vehicle, or when you are exercising, or riding a bike, or if you have some specific health conditions which needs to be proved by your doctor. Kids under 6 are also free from this demand.

In February, there were on average 200 cases registered per day from around average 2000-2500 daily tests. Hospitals are not overfilled and there are available hospital beds for patients that may need intensive care. At the peak, there were around 2500 hospital beds available for Covid care in Armenia while now this number has been decreased to around 600 beds thanks to the decrease of number of infected people. According to February statistics, 25% of the available Covid care hospital beds remained available.
Please visit the Government`s official source for more information

Traveling to Armenia during Pandemic

On the 12th of January, the government of Armenia canceled all the restrictions for travelers who wish to visit Armenia. But of course, there are some rules that you need to go after to enter the country. You need to provide a Covid19 PCR negative test certificate upon arrival no matter air or land. The test should be taken within 72 hours before entering the country. Individuals, who will not have this certificate will be tested at the border before entering the country, the result is given within 48 hours, before it the examined person is isolated at his own cost. Note that the costs associated to testing should also be paid by the visitor (~40$). If the result of the test is positive the individuals have to self-monitor and quarantine for 2 weeks. Individuals will be hospitalized if their health conditions get worse.

Traveling in Armenia during Pandemic

If you are in Armenia for traveling purposes, you will not find any restrictions as the intercity or interstate traveling is allowed.
In Yerevan, cafes and restaurants, museums and galleries, shopping malls and supermarkets are open for visitors. You can visit a cinema or an ancient historical site, the only thing that will remind you about the pandemic in Armenia is the face masks and hand sanitizers that are available nearly everywhere you go.

With some slow but bold steps life is returning to its normal routine. You will meet many people on the streets of different cities of Armenia, smiling faces and joyful kids running all around spreading hope for the coming day.

The decrease in infection numbers and restart of operations for all entertainment activities make Armenia a great destination also for digital nomads and remote workers. Many people prefer to escape strict lockdowns in their countries and temporarily work and live in Armenia. This is a great option also because the living costs in Armenia are much lower in comparison to the EU or US which allows remote workers also to save money while staying here. It’s a nice chance to combine work with travel as you can get to know new culture, discover beautiful sights in Armenia and spend lovely evenings trying tasty Armenian dishes and local wine.

At Enterprise Rent-A-Car, we have special monthly rental rates available for customers who prefer to use safe way of transportation while they live here. As we use to say - “You rent a car because you can't catch Covid from yourself”