Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Skopje, North Macedonia (March 17, 2020)
Location: North Macedonia
Event: The government of North Macedonia announced that it will close Skopje International Airport effective 00:00 a.m. on Thursday March 19, 2020 due to the global spread of COVID-19. Flight options are expected to be significantly limited prior to the official closure of the airport.
Foreign citizens are permitted to depart North Macedonia through Skopje International Airport prior to its closure at 00:00 a.m. on Thursday March 19, 2020. Travelers should work directly with air carriers or travel agents to confirm, arrange, or reschedule travel. After midnight on Wednesday March 18, 2020 options for U.S. citizens to depart North Macedonia will be extremely limited, or nonexistent. The government of North Macedonia has not announced an anticipated date for re-opening the airport.
Land borders with all neighboring countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, and Serbia, are currently closed.
Only citizens and legal residents of North Macedonia are allowed entry into North Macedonia.
The U.S. Embassy in Skopje continues to be open for American Citizen Services and emergency visa services only.
The State Department currently recommends U.S. citizens reconsider travel abroad and the CDC has issued a Level 2 Global Travel Alert for coronavirus.
Actions to Take:
- Check with airlines to arrange, confirm, or reschedule travel plans.
- Monitor local media and visit the Ministry of Health website http://zdravstvo.gov.mk/korona-virus/ for updated information, including mandatory quarantine measures and internal travel restrictions which may be implemented with little or no notice.
- Read the Centers for Disease Control’s and Prevention guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19 and information on health conditions in North Macedonia.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 https://mk.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/covid-19-information/ for information on conditions in North Macedonia.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the U.S.
- North Macedonia’s Institute of Public Health recommends that travelers who feel ill following travel to countries with confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks or who were exposed to someone who may have COVID-19 should contact their local centers for public health by telephone prior to visiting a hospital or clinic. The Institute of Public Health has provided contact numbers along with other advice for travelers on their website.
Assistance:
- U.S. Embassy Skopje
Str. “Samoilova” Nr.21
1000 Skopje
Republic of North Macedonia
+389 2 310-2000
SkopjeACS@state.gov
https://mk.usembassy.gov/ - State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444 - North Macedonia Country Information
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