Costa Rica ends Central Valley business closures

Costa Rica on Monday ended the business closures that had impacted the Central Valley throughout the previous week.  

However, until May 31, a weekday driving restriction will continue to be enforced in the Central Valley, the country’s most populated region.

The government also suggested it could soon introduce new coronavirus-related measures in context of record hospitalizations. The Social Security System (Caja), which runs the public health system, says hospital saturation has reached “critical” levels.

For now, the driving restrictions are as follows: 

The weekday driving restrictions in the Central Region will continue until May 31:

• Monday: Vehicles with plates ending in 1 and 2 cannot circulate.
• Tuesday: Vehicles with plates ending in 3 and 4 cannot circulate.
• Wednesday: Vehicles with plates ending in 5 and 6 cannot circulate.
• Thursday: Vehicles with plates ending in 7 and 8 cannot circulate.
• Friday: Vehicles with plates ending in 9 and 0 cannot circulate.

The nationwide weekend daytime (5 a.m. to 9 p.m.) restrictions also continue in May:

• Saturday: Vehicles with plates ending in odd numbers cannot circulate.
• Sunday: Vehicles with plates ending in even numbers (including 0) cannot circulate.

The nationwide nighttime driving ban remains from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The standard list of exceptions to the driving restrictions will continue to apply. This includes those driving to/from the airport, to/from a hotel reservation, to/from work, and rental cars.

Most commercial businesses must close at 9 p.m. each night in coordination with the nighttime driving ban. The vast majority of commercial businesses can operate, with the exception of certain mass-gathering events (including nightclubs, amusement parks, and some others).

For the official list of measures and exceptions, visit the Presidency’s website.