Thursday the government of Costa Rica issued new information on public policy for the current time.
This was published Friday, June 19, 2020 by AM Costa Rica.
ban on driving restrictions
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
On Thursday the government announced the newly relaxed restrictions as part of the third phase of commerce reopening, starting this weekend and carried out over the next three weeks to avoid further contagion due to the covid-19 pandemic.
The new measures are as follows:
Ban on Driving
The rule applies throughout the country, Monday to Friday from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The ban on driving applies to the license plates ending in certain numbers. The ban is based on day of the week, as follows:
• Monday: 1 and 2
• Tuesday: 3 and 4
• Wednesday: 5 and 6
• Thursday: 7 and 8
• Friday: 9 and 0
The weekends have a different schedule. On Saturday and Sunday from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm, the ban on driving applies. On Saturday if your plates ends in 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8, you are banned from being on the road. On Sunday, the ban is for vehicles with plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9.
The exception to the rules applies to those driving to hotels authorized by the Ministry of Health. It is important to have a copy of the respective receipt or reservation.
During the night, the ban on driving is from Monday to Friday from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. With the exception of traveling to a medical service or work.
On Saturday and Sunday the night ban on driving is from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. for all vehicles. With the exception of driving for going to medical services or work
The ban on driving is maintained in the Northern cantons with orange alert. The restriction is from Monday to Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. in Guatuso, Duacarí, La Cruz, Los Chiles, Pococí, Río Cuarto, La Fortuna, Venice, Aguas Zarcas, Cutris, Pital, Pocosol, Llanuras del Gaspar, Curuña, Pacuarito, Reventazón, Upala, Peñas Blancas.
Regulations in highly trafficked places
The weekend stores, cinemas, theaters and museums are allowed to open, as long as it maintains the limit of 50% of customers and the social distance of 1.8 meters.
The operation of places of worship such as churches are authorized from Monday to Sunday, with a maximum of 75 people within the facilities and a social distance of 1.8 meters.
Access to the beaches are open from Monday to Sunday from 5:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., as long as people visit the beaches in their social bubbles.
Closures continue for bars, places for events of massive concentrations, public shows, discos, casinos, National Theater and Mélico Salazar Theater, community fairs and amusement parks.
Public institutions and private companies may continue working with the basic operating plan or telecommuting, among other precautions.
The Ministry of Health insists on the public to respect sanitary measures to avoid an increase in covid-19 infections. As of Thursday afternoon, there was an increase of 68 new cases of patients infected with covid-19, bringing the total to 990 active cases.
Clearly the move to open the country is coming slowly and in baby steps.
Lake Arenal Escape 