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Published on Thursday, November
4,
2021
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Many countries are already implementing for their visitors to be fully vaccinated. For example, as of Nov. 8, all non-immigrant, non-citizen air travelers to the United States will be required to be fully vaccinated against covid-19. In Costa Rica, the National Chamber of Tourism, Canatur, during a press conference on Wednesday, called on the government to postpone the mandatory use of the covid pass until April 17, 2022, when the Easter holidays have finished. According to the chamber, there are fears that the covid pass required as of January 2022 could lead to cancellations of accommodation in hotels or tourist services. The mandated covid pass is obtained through a Quick Response Security code, QR, which is a type of barcode that contains the person's vaccination information. This technology will allow for quick verification of the status of vaccination against covid-19. According to the chamber, those first cancellations are equivalent to the $2.6 million in losses to the companies that were included in the survey conducted by members of Conatur. They reported that 58% of tourist companies had received requests for cancellations, after the government announced the mandate to use the covid pass from January 2022 to enter almost all public places. "Cancellations are a reality, and inevitably more will come," said Rubén Acón, president of the chamber. According to Acón, there is data from the Tourism Institute that confirms that about 47% of the tourists who have entered the country this year are not fully-vaccinated. That is almost half of the tourist population in the country. Since the pandemic took place, Costa Rica has struggled to make a full recovery, especially in the tourism industry. Although the chamber agrees with the covid pass mandate, their only plea is to postpone the mandatory requirement until after January 2022 when the high tourist season begins. Conatur proposes to move the mandatory requirement of the covid pass until the third week of April 2022 in exchange for launching a marketing campaign promoting covid-19 outreach and education about the vaccines, especially geared toward tourists. According to the Ministry of Health, as of January 2022, the covid pass will be a requirement to enter most public spaces, including: hotels, restaurants, national parks among others. Business owners that do not comply with this rule will be fined $730 in addition to receiving a suspension of their operating permit for two weeks. If the place fails to comply with the norm again, the owner could lose the right of business operation and the place would be forced to close. Fully vaccinated international travelers in their countries who plan on visiting Costa Rica, are required to show their covid pass upon arrival at the airport. In the case of an unvaccinated adult visitor traveling to Costa Rica, they will continue needing to provide proof of a medical insurance policy to cover any covid-19 related medical treatment or quarantine lodging while in Costa Rica. International insurance is required for all
international unvaccinated travelers going
to Costa Rica. Tourists must request from their
insurer a certification issued in English or
Spanish, noting the validity of the policy during
the dates of visit to Costa Rica, the guarantee of
coverage for medical expenses in cases of covid-19
related medical treatment for $50,000 and minimum
coverage of $2,000 for extended lodging expenses due
to covid-19 related illness. Currently, tourists have the option of purchasing a Costa Rican medical insurance policy through the National Insurance Institute or the Private Insurance Firms Association Sagicor. All visitors must also complete an online Health Pass 48 hours before traveling to Costa Rica. Tourists should review the requirements mentioned above before planning their trip to their respective country's embassy or consulate in Costa Rica. The mandates abroad influenced authorities to develop a new and easier system to obtain the covid pass for people who were inoculated in this country. The government has set up support centers across the country for those without internet, offering free guidance to accessing the required digital covid pass. ---------------- How would postponing the covid pass mandate impact your holiday plans? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com Real
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