New measures allow more companies to open for business

Published Friday, May 1, 2020

New measures allow more
companies to open for business

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Ministry of Health announced on Thursday, new less restrictive measures to allow some businesses to reopen.

The following types of business are authorized to reopen from Monday to Sunday, without time restriction: home sales services, car rental services, bicycle rental services, fuel supply services, community garbage collection services, all public and private health facilities (clinics, pharmacies, hospitals, laboratories, doctor's offices, diagnostic radiology services, emergency services, optical, macrobiotic, among others), veterinary clinics, mobile unit health services, Comprehensive Care Centers known as CAI, care centers for people in vulnerable conditions, public and private parking.

Although they will be open to the public they must be working with the minimum personnel required for the development of virtual transmissions.

Likewise, the following businesses will be able to continue working from Monday to Sunday without time restriction, as long as they maintain the capacity of 50% of the number of people in their facilities: farmer markets, open-air markets, supermarkets, mini-supermarkets, bakeries, butchers, greengrocers, hardware stores, car washes, mechanics, Technical Vehicle Review (RTV), beauty salons, barbershops, grooming salons for pets, municipal management platforms, all banking and financial services, funeral homes and / or wake chapels, public institutions such as immigration services, customs, border posts, among others.

In the case of hotels, cabins or accommodation establishments can reopen only if they provide accommodation to:

• Foreign tourists who are already in the country.

• Flight crews or cases of special services.

• Long-stay tourists or residents of the hotel.

• Public administration officials or public service providers (banking, transportation of values, communications, electricity), or in the case of people who are working in the distribution service of merchandise or food items and basic needs, medicines, agricultural or veterinary supplies.

• Diplomats working in embassies.

• Motels will be able to operate from Monday to Friday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Companies that provide self-service for food services to the public may operate from Monday to Sunday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Cinemas and theaters (with measures of separation of seats of minimum 1.8 meters between each person and box office or electronic reservation) will be able to operate from Monday to Friday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The following type of business are not able to resume: concerts, public shows, fairgrounds, bullfighting activities ( as rodeo fairs), equestrian activities and equine rental, sporting events, community fairs, international festivals, conventions and trade shows, amusement parks, pubs or bar and nightclubs.

For more information on how to apply the rules for each company, or a specific business, the ministry can be reached at the line (506) 2223-0333.

These measures are temporary, due to the health alert by covid-19, which in the most recent report confirmed 719 cases.

However, the government announced that on May 11 the situation in the country will be assessed, for possible changes in the new regulations.

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