Costa Rica has expanded Covid-19 vaccine access to all citizens and residents ages 20 and older, the Social Security System (CCSS) announced Wednesday.
Public health clinics (EBAIS) will continue to immunize people assigned to their area, while mass-vaccination centers at hospitals can attend to people who live anywhere in the country.
Individuals should present their identity card or Dimex to verify their personal data and register for the vaccine. Resident foreigners must prove their valid immigration status, the CCSS said.
As a result of the changes, the following citizens and residents are now eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine in Costa Rica:
- First group: Staff and residents at retirement or nursing homes. First responders, including health personnel.
- Second group: Costa Rica’s older population, defined here as those ages 58 and up.
- Third group: People from 18-58 with risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illness, kidney disease and obesity, among others.
- Fourth group: Teachers and other staff within the Education Ministry (MEP) or private schools. Imprisoned people and judicial staff. Workers for the 911 service.
- Fifth group: People ages 20-57 without any of the aforementioned risk factors. Some locations may vaccinate younger adults and teenagers.
Each of Costa Rica’s hundreds of public clinics (EBAIS) manages vaccines in its health area. Individuals who are eligible for a vaccine should contact their local EBAIS to schedule their first dose. (For EBAIS contact information, click here and follow the link to “Contacto.”)
For a full list of mass vaccination sites across Costa Rica, click here. (Link downloads as a compressed .zip file.) At mass-vaccination sites, appointments are not necessary.
As of July 27, the latest available data, Costa Rica has administered nearly 3.2 million Covid-19 vaccine doses across 2.35 million people.
Costa Rica ultimately hopes to vaccinate 4.27 million people, which represents 83% of its total population.
