 It is expected that will happen today at noon after the government meeting to analyze the Social Security request to declare a code Red Sanitary Alert due to the lack of beds in Intensive Care Units. - Ministry of Security photo -  |
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Published Monday,
May 10, 2021
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Today, the rules changed. The government ordered business restrictions from last week as a measure to try and decrease covid-19 infections ended on Sunday. This week, the businesses located within the so-called Central Region will be able to attend their clients from 5 a.m. to 9 p. m. Once closed, stores must remain closed. That rule will remain in place until authorities order new restrictions. It is expected that will happen today at noon after the government meeting to analyze the Social Security request to declare a code Red Sanitary Alert due to the lack of beds in Intensive Care Units. According to a Ministry of Health report from Friday, there were 49,596 active covid-19 cases. Of these, 1,175 patients are hospitalized. There were 3,365 covid-19 related deaths, equivalent to a death rate of approximately 1.3%. The new report led the government to take further measures for a better public health. The business rules must apply in the so-called Central Region, which include the cantons of: San José Centro, Escazú, Desamparados, Aserrí, Mora, Goicoechea, Santa Ana, Alajuelita, Vásquez de Coronado, Tibás, Moravia, Montes de Oca, Curridabat, Puriscal, Tarrazú, Acosta, Turrubares, Dota and León Cortés in San Jose Province. In addition, the restrictions will apply to the cantons of Alajuela Centro, Poás, Atenas, Grecia, Sarchí, Palmares, Naranjo, San Ramón and Alfaro Ruíz, in Alajuela Province. In Cartago Province the impacted regions include the cantons of Cartago Centro, Paraíso, La Unión, Alvarado, Oreamuno, Jiménez, Turrialba and El Guarco, in Cartago Province. This alert zone also includes the following cantons in Heredia Province: Heredia Centro, Barva, Santo Domingo, Santa Bárbara, San Rafael, San Isidro, Belén, Flores and San Pablo. Businesses offering essential services can remain open, such as pharmacies, clinics, supermarkets, gas stations, among others. Specific rules for businesses located within the Central Region are on the government website Covid Alert Business. The Ministry of Health is recommending business owners to verify the new restrictions for their specific type of business to the line (506) 2223-0333.  In the aforementioned Central Region's cantons, from May 3 to 31 the ban-on-driving curfew applies from Monday through Friday, allowing driving from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. The driving restrictions are based on the last number of the license plate number: • Monday: Vehicles banned with plates ending in 1 or 2. • Tuesday: Vehicles banned with plates ending in 3 or 4. • Wednesday: Vehicles banned with plates ending in 5 or 6. • Thursday: Vehicles banned with plates ending in 7 or 8. • Friday: Vehicles banned with plates ending in 9 or 0. On weekends, Sundays and Saturdays, the curfew will continue throughout the country as follow: • On Saturdays, driving is allowed from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., and vehicles with plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 are banned. • On Sundays, driving is allowed from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., and vehicles with plates ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 are banned. After 9 p.m. there should be no vehicle on the streets, except for people who travel to authorized places such as the airport, a clinic, work or a hotel, among others. The list of exceptions that allow any vehicle to drive at night is on the government website on Covid Vehicle Exceptions. The fine of approximately $180 for breaking the law remains in place. Due to the new law approved by Congress in October 2020, traffic officials cannot seize the vehicle or its plates. They also can no longer reduce points on the driving license of the driver for breaking the rule. The same driving curfew also continues in San José’s capital, known as the Circunvalación Route, which includes all the streets that are found around the city, as displayed in the map below.  Cantons not included in the Central Region list should oblige the driving curfew on weekends as follows: • On Saturdays, driving is allowed from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., vehicles with plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 are banned. • On Sundays, driving is allowed from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., vehicles with plates ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 are banned. Readers can verify the car plate number restrictions by visiting the government website on Covid-19 Vehicle Alert. A.M. Costa Rica urges readers to share this alert with their contacts. -------------------------- How has the ban-on-driving reduced the covid-19 contagion in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com             |
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