QCOSTARICA – On Tuesday this week, a new batch of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer arrived, and with that began vaccination of people of 58 years old or more.
The Comisión Nacional de Vacunación y Epidemiología del Ministerio de Salud (National Commission of Vaccination and Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health) announced weeks ago that, of the doses that enter our country as of this month, 80% will be used to protect the 58 plus population, while, the other 20% will be for first responders and seniors and staff in long-stay homes.
The vaccination will be carried out according to each health area, prioritizing from oldest to youngest.
Who specifically will receive the vaccine?
- People who are 58 or over, regardless if they have risk factors or not.
- Those who do not have social security “Caja” or are not attached to a public health center (Ebais) will also receive the doses.
- Foreigners who meet the age range and have residency status. A passport will not be a valid document to receive the dose, they must present the residency card called DIMEX.
- The vaccine will be voluntary, that is, it will depend on the person’s decision whether to apply it or not.
What to do to get vaccinated?
- The population that regularly uses the services of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) must wait for the appropriate call from the health areas to be vaccinated.
- Those who are NOT affiliated with the Caja must go in person to the Ebais of their community to sign up so that they can be located when appropriate according to their age. A utility bill or rental agreement may be required to establish that you are in the correct Ebais that serves your community.,
- There is no cost for this and are not required to subscribe to the Caja.
- Those who have recently changed their contact information (telephone number) must update their information through the Expediente Digital Único en Salud (EDUS) system so that they can be called and receive information about their vaccination. Click here to download the app.
Since last December 24, the vaccination against COVID-19 in the country began, taking into account the groups established by the Vaccination Commission.
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Costa Rica aims to vaccinate 3 million people (of its 5.1 million population), with vaccines obtained through contracts signed with the pharmaceuticals Pfizer, AstraZeneca and the COVAX mechanism.
Up to Tuesday, February 16, 42,553 people already have their complete vaccination scheme against COVID-19 and a total of 96,948 vaccines have been applied, according to data from the Vaccine Information System (SIVA) of the CCSS.
Of these, 81,169 have been applied to first responders and 15,779 to seniors.
Currently, private vaccinations (ie pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics) is not available.
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