The National Emergency Commission (CNE) on Wednesday announced a series of national coronavirus restrictions that will begin on December 31.
The new measures come as the country’s public-health system is strained by the coronavirus. As of Wednesday, Costa Rica has reported 2,065 COVID-19-related deaths with 634 people hospitalized, 239 of them in intensive care.
The restrictions are as follows:
New Year’s Eve (December 31)
There will be a national vehicular restriction from 7 p.m. on December 31 until 5 a.m. on January 1. The typical list of exceptions, which includes rental vehicles, still applies, and public transportation can operate normally.
Commercial businesses must also close at 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, except for those deemed essential (supermarkets, medical centers, delivery services, and hotels, among others).
The Health Ministry on Tuesday authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine in Costa Rica based on the emergency use authorization issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The Directorate for the Regulation of Healthcare Products (DRPIS), part of the Health Ministry, says it reviewed information provided by the FDA, Pfizer and BioNTech to confirm “the product offered corresponds in every sense to the product approved by FDA, … as well as a certificate of good manufacturing practices.”
The National Emergency Commission (CNE) has already purchased ultra-cold freezers, which will be necessary during distribution of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Image by Koen One Stop Map from Pixabay
Of this total, 112,622 people have recovered and 1,895 deaths have been recorded.
On Friday, Representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Costa Rican Social Security Fund and the National Emergency Commission recapitulated the progress of the country on the way to launch the vaccination campaign against COVID-19.
“Costa Rica is acquiring high quality vaccines in terms of safety and efficacy, previously approved by strict regulatory agencies of the highest level of rigor worldwide,” Vice Minister of Health, Pedro González said.
Dr. González said to date, the Government of the Republic has signed three agreements for the purchase of vaccine: Pfizer-BioNTech (three million doses), AstraZeneca-Oxford (one million doses) and the COVAX initiative of the World Health Organization (two million doses).
Lessons learned: Responding to disaster displacement in the time of COVID-19
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Manuela Kurkaa
Governments, first-responders and humanitarian organisations responding to displacement triggered by disasters during the COVID-19 pandemic are faced with a complex challenge: to evacuate people safely into shelters and camps, while maintaining social distancing measures in settings which are usually overcrowded and where the risk of contagion is far higher.
These simultaneous crises require immediate but somewhat conflicting responses. What would normally constitute an efficient and safe response to a disaster could now pose a serious health risk, if not performed with caution. As traditional best practices are being put into question, responders must find creative ways to protect people from disasters without risking further spread of the disease. New trends are emerging, as outlined below, some of which could become the new normal even after the pandemic ends.