Costa Rica: Officials extend most COVID-19 restrictions through at least Oct. 15 /update 42

Costa Rica slightly eases some COVID-19 restrictions, extends measures through Oct. 15. International travel restrictions remain unchanged.

Event

Authorities in Costa Rica have slighted eased and extended COVID-19 business and movement restrictions nationwide through at least Oct. 15. International travel restrictions remain largely unchanged.

Under the directives, the nightly ban on movement and business operations remains in effect 21:00-05:00, and private vehicles continue to be subject to movement restrictions. The following schedule dictates which vehicles are prohibited from moving on certain days based on their license plate numbers:

Mondays: Vehicles with license plates ending in 1 or 2 are prohibited
Tuesdays: Vehicles with license plates ending in 3 or 4 are prohibited
Wednesdays: Vehicles with license plates ending in 5 or 6 are prohibited
Thursdays: Vehicles with license plates ending in 7 or 8 are prohibited
Fridays: Vehicles with license plates ending in 9 or 0 are prohibited
Saturday, Oct. 2: Vehicles with license plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 are prohibited
Sunday, Oct. 3: Vehicles with license plates ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, and 0 are prohibited
Saturday, Oct. 9: Vehicles with license plates ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, and 0 are prohibited
Sunday, Oct. 10: Vehicles with license plates ending in 1,3, 5, 7, and 9 are prohibited

Additionally, authorities plan to allow up to 5,000 people to attend a concert and a soccer match at the National Stadium in San Jose in early October, as part of ongoing trials examining the feasibility of holding mass-attendance events amid the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the events' attendees must be fully vaccinated.

Hotels with more than 100 rooms may continue operating at up to 75-percent capacity; authorities have announced hotels will be permitted to operate at up to 100 percent capacity starting Nov. 1. Restaurants, grocery stores, and all other businesses allowed to operate may continue doing so at up to 50-percent capacity. Bars can increase capacity to 50 percent.

International Travel Restrictions
All travelers, including nonresident foreign nationals, can enter Costa Rica by air regardless of their country of origin. Foreign travelers are not required to provide a negative result from a COVID-19 test prior to entering the country. Nevertheless, they must still complete the required health affidavit (i.e., Health Pass) and have sufficient insurance to cover lodging and health expenses. Individuals may enter Costa Rica without the requisite health insurance if they provide proof of having been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arrival.

All land borders have reopened to nonresident foreign nationals. Visitors traveling by land must also complete the government Health Pass and have sufficient insurance to cover any potential health expenses. The country's maritime borders remain mostly closed to visitors, although certain private boats are allowed to enter.

Authorities could reimpose, extend, further ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice, depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.