Costa Rica announced Thursday that it will again receive flights from the other Central American countries, in a decision to expand the reopening of its borders since restrictions were first established in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Tourism Minister, Gustavo Segura, indicated that Costa Rica’s two major international airports will be permitted to receive Central American flights as of October 15.
The opening aims to “continue stimulating the reactivation of the tourist industry,” Segura said at a press conference.
The six Central American countries join Mexico, the United States, Canada, Uruguay, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and several Asian nations as countries from which citizens and residents can visit Costa Rica.
Six French tourists in Costa Rica remained hospitalized two in serious condition with Covid-19, a French news agency reported last Friday.
BFM TV says a group of 22 retirees ages 60 to 77 visited Costa Rica for a 10-day trip starting January 16. Twenty tested positive for Covid-19 before their scheduled flights back to Europe.
Three were in intensive care two in “very serious” condition as of Friday, per the report. The other three had milder symptoms and, while still hospitalized, were awaiting negative tests in order to return to France.
The remaining tourists were quarantining at a hotel but had exceeded the $2,000 accommodation coverage provided by their insurance company.
Hospital Clinica Biblica is now offering rapid antigen tests for U.S. citizens who need a negative result in order to return to their home country.
In doing so, they join Laboratorios Echandi and a growing number of private labs across Costa Rica that provide the faster and cheaper coronavirus tests.
The antigen test at Clinica Biblica costs 30,000 colones (about $50), and the hospital is promising results within two hours.
“The antigen test is now available 24 hours a day during the entire week, in both locations: San José and Santa Ana,” the private hospital said in a statement.
The antigen test detects proteins related to the virus. The sample is collected using a nasal swab, similar to PCR tests.