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Costa Rica in august (Covid) (1 Viewer)

Glimmer

Well-known member
I Know some national parks were just reopened now... but the peak is still not reached.

Do you think it will be possible to visit the country in august? Anyone has direct info from there?

Thanks
 
Still impossible to say when the borders will open. The next announcement/decision from the government about this will likely take place on June 30th.
However, given a recent rise in cases in Costa Rica and elsewhere, I doubt very much that the country will be open by August.
 
Hi. The government and institute of tourism announced the country will open the international airports on Aug 1st. But not all the visitors are allowed to come, it totally depends on how is the situation in your contry
 

Statement by the Costa Rica Tourism Board


28 July, 2020. As of August 1, international passenger flights are authorized to arrive at Costa Rica’s three international airports: Juan Santamaría International Airport; Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport; and Tobías Bolaños Airport.

The following are the authorized regions or countries:


THE EUROPEAN UNION, SCHENGEN ZONE, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM: for flights from the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom, for citizens and residents of the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom.
CANADA: for flights from Canada, for citizens and residents of Canada, and for residents of the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom.
Although the authorization includes the aforementioned regions and countries, in practice, it remains precisely as notified. In other words, the reopening shall start with travelers embarking in Frankfurt, Germany and Madrid, Spain. These flights shall be the first to be received at Juan Santamaría International Airport, after compliance with the requirements that have already been described in the press conference. Canada will follow, once airlines resume flights to Costa Rica.

The requirements are as follows:

Having taken the PCR diagnostic test and obtained a negative result within 48 hours of travel to Costa Rica.
Have mandatory travel insurance, covering lodging in the event of being quarantined and medical expenses due to acute illness.
Fill out the epidemiological digital form.
Passengers who do not comply with these requirements will not be allowed to board the flight.
 

Statement by the Costa Rica Tourism Board


28 July, 2020. As of August 1, international passenger flights are authorized to arrive at Costa Rica’s three international airports: Juan Santamaría International Airport; Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport; and Tobías Bolaños Airport.

The following are the authorized regions or countries:


THE EUROPEAN UNION, SCHENGEN ZONE, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM: for flights from the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom, for citizens and residents of the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom.
CANADA: for flights from Canada, for citizens and residents of Canada, and for residents of the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom.
Although the authorization includes the aforementioned regions and countries, in practice, it remains precisely as notified. In other words, the reopening shall start with travelers embarking in Frankfurt, Germany and Madrid, Spain. These flights shall be the first to be received at Juan Santamaría International Airport, after compliance with the requirements that have already been described in the press conference. Canada will follow, once airlines resume flights to Costa Rica.

The requirements are as follows:

Having taken the PCR diagnostic test and obtained a negative result within 48 hours of travel to Costa Rica.
Have mandatory travel insurance, covering lodging in the event of being quarantined and medical expenses due to acute illness.
Fill out the epidemiological digital form.
Passengers who do not comply with these requirements will not be allowed to board the flight.

Doesn't it occur to these countries that the prospect of having to have a six inch swab stuck up your nose, and the possibility of testing positive so having to cancel all your plans and probably losing quite a chunk of money as a result, and finding insurance to cover the possibility of being quarantined (is it even available?) is going to be enough to make most people decide not to visit at all? They seem to announce these restrictions as if they are just a minor administrative issue.
 
Arbu - maybe it occurs to these countries that it's a tremendous risk to re-open borders, but they also recognize the economic value to a tourism based economy, so they make an effort. In this case their re-opening puts some genuine burden the wealthy (and entitled) tourists they want to attract, in order to try to avoid unnecessary death of their own citizens, which is absolutely fine and correct.
 
I agree with Josh. I live in Barbados where there has been no local transmission of covid19 for more than a month. The country has decided much like Costa Rica that they will admit people in who will take the chance to come here; but they also want to protect the population already here. There has been about 30 recent cases that all were people coming to the island from the outside and as far as I know, they have all been among people in quarantine at the time the disease was diagnosed.

The bottom line, you should only travel right now if you have plenty of time and are able to take a 1-2 week quarantine as a minor disturbance of an otherwise OK travel. If you only have 1-2 weeks of vacation, stay close to home.

Niels
 

Statement by the Costa Rica Tourism Board


28 July, 2020. As of August 1, international passenger flights are authorized to arrive at Costa Rica’s three international airports: Juan Santamaría International Airport; Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport; and Tobías Bolaños Airport.

The following are the authorized regions or countries:


THE EUROPEAN UNION, SCHENGEN ZONE, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM: for flights from the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom, for citizens and residents of the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom.
CANADA: for flights from Canada, for citizens and residents of Canada, and for residents of the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom.
Although the authorization includes the aforementioned regions and countries, in practice, it remains precisely as notified. In other words, the reopening shall start with travelers embarking in Frankfurt, Germany and Madrid, Spain. These flights shall be the first to be received at Juan Santamaría International Airport, after compliance with the requirements that have already been described in the press conference. Canada will follow, once airlines resume flights to Costa Rica.

The requirements are as follows:

Having taken the PCR diagnostic test and obtained a negative result within 48 hours of travel to Costa Rica.
Have mandatory travel insurance, covering lodging in the event of being quarantined and medical expenses due to acute illness.
Fill out the epidemiological digital form.
Passengers who do not comply with these requirements will not be allowed to board the flight.

This about sums up the current situation for visiting Costa Rica at the moment- not for everyone and not without various steps and costs.
At first, buying one of a few specific health insurance policies offered in Costa Rica was obligatory. After blowback about that, a change was made to allow international policies BUT only if the traveler's policy is approved in CR.
There may also eventually be more approved policies available in CR.

This post at my blog provides some detail on what a tourists needs to do at this moment:
http://birdingcraft.com/wordpress/2020/08/03/costa-rica-cracks-open-the-door/

As with everywhere, the economy in Costa Rica is seriously affected by the pandemic and many people are eager for tourism, but, I believe the government's main concern is that of a bigger outbreak than the big one we already have (as of today, 24,000 active confirmed cases with increases on average of around 500 more pr day) that would then collapse the health care system in addition to care for tourists incurring health care costs that the country can't afford.
 
Selva Verde today sent out an email today which included the following information:

On August 19, Costa Rica announced that as of September 1, borders would open to U.S. citizens of the United States who are residents of six states: New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, and Maine. These states were selected based on the data regarding their levels of COVID-19 cases being roughly equal to or better than Costa Rica.

Travelers will need to present a driver's license to show proof of residency upon arrival, obtain a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of their flight, and purchase a travel-insurance plan that covers COVID-19. They will also fill in a health form upon arrival. Per the aviation authorities, Costa Rica is slated to receive five flights per week from the US although it is unclear exactly when they will begin.
 
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