Costa Rica nears 7 million vaccines received :

Costa Rica on Thursday received 107,640 more Covid-19 vaccines that were purchased from Pfizer/BioNTech, authorities reported.

With shipment, Costa Rica has now surpassed 6.9 million total vaccine doses received. The majority came through purchases, with 998,700 having been donated by the United States, Canada, Spain, the Dominican Republic and Austria.

Costa Rica has received 4.9 million vaccines from Pfizer, with 1.1 million remaining to fulfill its contract with the country. Those are expected by the end of 2021.

In total, Costa Rica has purchased more than 9 million doses from Pfizer, AstraZeneca and through the Covax facility. It is negotiating an additional purchase in order to vaccinate children and offer third doses to immunocompromised individuals.

Costa Rica has administered 6.12 million doses across 3.6 million people as of the beginning of the week. This represents the highest vaccination rate in Central America.

Serious side effects associated with Covid vaccines continue to be exceedingly rare.

Who can get vaccinated in Costa Rica?

All citizens and residents ages 18 and older are eligible; teenagers and younger adults with medical conditions that amplify their Covid-19 risk are also eligible.

All teens (ages 12-17) will be eligible for the vaccine starting Monday, October 25.

Tourists and undocumented foreigners are temporarily eligible for the vaccine in Costa Rica through October 28.

Individuals should bring their identification document (cedula, DIMEX, passport). The vaccine is free, even for those who don’t pay into the Caja.

Costa Rica vaccine mandate

Starting December 1, Costa Rica will require proof of Covid-19 vaccination to enter many businesses and to participate in large events.

Vaccines will be required to enter: Restaurants and food courts; bars and casinos; stores and commercial centers; museums; gyms; hotels; worship sites; event halls; adventure tourism activities; theaters and cinemas; sporting events.

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 vaccination sites across Costa Rica, click here.

Costa Rica requires that people receive their second vaccine dose at the same location as their first. Pfizer doses had an 12-week interval in Costa Rica; that has since been reduced to eight weeks for most people.

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:

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!