Panama – Update on the situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic

Correos de Panamá, asks us to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that the national government has issued Executive Decree No. 1686 of 28 December 2020, setting out sanitary measures to restrict movement in the provinces of Panamá and Panamá Oeste owing to an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections.

In view of these measures and other quarantine requirements, which will apply from 4 to 14 January 2021, post offices in these two provinces will remain closed and no inbound or outbound mail will be accepted. The following post offices will be affected:

–          Panamá Oeste, Code 8: 1001 (El Valle), 1003 (Arraiján), 1005 (Vista Alegre), 1007 (Capira), 1011 (Chame), 1013 (Bejuco), 1015 (La Chorrera), 1017 (San Carlos);

–          Panamá Este, Code 17: 0807 (Chepo), 0816 (Zona 5-Las Américas-Calidonia), 0818 (Zona 6- Bethania), 0819 (Zona 6a.-El Dorado), 0823 (Zona 7-Plaza Concordia), 0830 (Zona 9- San Francisco), 0832 (World Trade Center), 0833 (Plaza Panamá), 0834 (Zona 9a.-Carrasquilla), 0835 (Zona 10-Parque Lefevre), 0838 (Zona 12- Los Pueblos), 0843 (Balboa, Ancón), 0844 (Paraíso), 0847 (Chilibre), 0850 (Zona 15- Las Cumbres), 0857 (Zona 14- El Machetazo 24 de Dic.), 0860 (Villa Lucre).

Delivery delays are to be expected with regard to inbound mail arriving at Panama's offices of exchange between the aforementioned dates and destined for the post offices of Panamá and Panamá Oeste.

It should be noted that all other post offices, mail processing centres (domestic and international) and the air transhipment office at the airport are operating with reduced working hours.

The administrative offices will be closed from 4 to 14 January 2021. However, communication via e-mail will be maintained as necessary and with a reduced workforce.

Given current airline limitations, namely a lack of flights to certain destinations and limited space for transporting mail, Correos de Panamá reminds other designated operators that it began outbound international mail operations (for letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) on 19 October 2021 to the following destinations: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, the United States of America and Uruguay.

Correos de Panamá also reiterates that it is able to receive inbound mail.

However, in view of reduced capacity and the limited number of outbound destinations served by airlines, transit services (open and closed transit) for all categories of mail items remain suspended.

Correos de Panamá is unable to guarantee service standards for inbound and outbound mail, and the situation of force majeure already invoked with respect to quality of service and the quality link to remuneration for all categories of mail items continues to apply until further notice. 

Correos de Panamá thanks all Union member countries and their designated operators for their understanding, and will update them on any relevant changes via EmIS.