President Carlos Alvarado and First Lady Claudia Dobles on Monday received their second Covid-19 vaccine doses, eight weeks after their initial shots.
Alvarado, 41, and Dobles, 40, were inoculated with the Pfizer/BioNTech formula at a center in Santa Ana, where the Costa Rican leaders were assigned based on their residence.
“The Government of the Republic has made an effort to obtain the necessary doses to immunize the population. It is essential to remember that the vaccine is safe and saves lives,” Dobles said.
President Alvarado added Costa Rica is “at a decisive point” in its fight against Covid-19. The country just added near-record cases and hospitals are warning of saturation.
“The call to the population is to get vaccinated and protect themselves from the disease,” Alvarado said. “Today, the most unprotected people are the people who do not have the vaccine.”
As of Monday morning, Costa Rica has received 5.9 million Covid-19 vaccine doses, more than the country’s population. The majority came through purchases, while 891,900 were donated by the United States, Canada and Spain.
Costa Rica has administered 4.28 million doses across 3.05 million people as of August 30. All citizens and residents ages 20 and older are eligible for their first dose; teenagers and younger adults with medical conditions that amplify their Covid-19 risk are also eligible.
About 25% of Costa Rica’s population has received a full two-dose schedule.
Who can get vaccinated in Costa Rica?
The following citizens and residents are eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine in Costa Rica:
- Group 1: Staff and residents at retirement or nursing homes. First responders, including health personnel.
- Group 2: Costa Rica’s older population, defined here as those ages 58 and up.
- Group 3: People from 18-58 with risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illness, kidney disease and obesity, among others.
- Group 4: Teachers and other staff within the Education Ministry (MEP) or private schools. Imprisoned people and judicial staff. Workers for the 911 service.
- Group 5: People ages 20-57 without any of the aforementioned risk factors. Some locations are vaccinating younger adults and teenagers.
Individuals should bring their identification document (cedula or DIMEX). The vaccine is free, even for those who don’t pay into the Caja. Doses are not widely available to tourists at this time, though some locations may offer vaccinations to anyone, regardless of residency status.
Costa Rica is administering the Pfizer and AstraZeneca formulas.
Where to get vaccinated in Costa Rica
Each of Costa Rica’s hundreds of public clinics (EBAIS) manages vaccines within its area. Individuals who are eligible for a vaccine can contact their local EBAIS to schedule their first dose. Many other locations are hosting mass-vaccination campaigns.
- For a full list of these mass vaccination sites across Costa Rica, click here. (Link downloads as a .zip file.)
Official Costa Rica Covid sources
Here at The Tico Times, we do our best to share the most relevant coronavirus information in a clear and concise manner.
As you’re navigating the pandemic and the associated ever-changing rules, here are the official sources for Covid-19 information in Costa Rica:
- For driving and business restrictions
- For daily coronavirus case/hospitalization/death counts
- For tourist entry requirements
- For vaccine eligibility by location
- For vaccine shipments
Costa Rica’s official language is Spanish, so all of the above sources will be in that language. Of course, we at The Tico Times will continue to provide timely, accurate information as it develops.
Thanks for reading!
