On Nov. 2, Costa Rica updated their entry requirements to inform travelers that many businesses will soon be requiring proof of vaccination.
As of now the country is still allowing in unvaccinated individuals. Any tourist who is 18 or older without proof of vaccination must purchase an accepted travel policy that covers COVID care and quarantine, if necessary.
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All tourists under 18 can enter the country without a travel policy and unvaccinated. But starting Jan. 8, any unvaccinated tourists 12 years and older will not be allowed to go into commercial establishments.
These places “may admit only persons who are verifiably fully-vaccinated [with] Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZenca, [or] Janssen,” the organization states.
However, there are a few exceptions to this new mandate. If you’re 12 years of age or older, you will need to provide proof with a QR code or your printed vaccine certificate.
Children under 12 years of age will not have to present proof of vaccination, nor will tourists who have a medical condition that makes it impossible for them to get any of the four vaccines approved by the Ministry of Health of Costa Rica.
Also, “essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies will not require proof of vaccination,” according to the organization’s update.
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Essential Costa Rica said: “The requirement of being fully-vaccinated to enter commercial establishments, except for stated exceptions, does not prevent tourists without vaccination, with incomplete vaccination schedules or inoculated with vaccines not admitted in Costa Rica, from entering the country to visit family, friends or their properties in the country.”
Although, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns to only travel when fully vaccinated. “Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants.”
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Costa Rica is not the only country to have issued similar restrictions, but other countries have gone so far as to outright ban unvaccinated U.S. travelers altogether.
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