TASHKENT, September 17 (Sputnik) - The authorities in Uzbekistan will reopen the country’s borders for inbound and outbound travel by air, rail, and motor vehicle from October 1, a representative of the Central Asian nation’s coronavirus disease response center told Sputnik on Thursday.
The latest decision comes after the Uzbek authorities eased restrictions on the border with Kyrgyzstan on September 1.
"From October 1, it will be allowed to enter and leave Uzbekistan via all air, rail, and automotive checkpoints," a representative of the response center said.
International arrivals from countries that have been color-coded red, according to the Ministry of Health's guidance, must present a certificate showing a negative PCR test for the coronavirus disease. Furthermore, these arrivals must also complete a form ahead of a period of mandatory self-isolation.
Individuals arriving by road from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan, after conducting an express test or an antibody test for COVID-19, must spend two weeks in self-isolation in either a hotel or a private place of residence, the response center added.
As of Thursday, 49,627 cases of COVID-19 have been registered in Uzbekistan. This figure includes the 612 new positive tests confirmed over the preceding 24 hours.
The Uzbek government has begun easing social distancing restrictions in the country since August 15. Theaters and cinemas reopened on September 5, and children began returning to school on September 14, although some minors are taking classes remotely.
