QCOSTARICA – Friday night, Costa Rica paid tribute to the memory of all the people who have lost their lives due to the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The Specialized Center for the Care of Patients with COVID-19 (CEACO), was illuminated for the occasion, as president Carlos Alvarado, together with the Minister of Health, Daniel Salas, the Minister of Economy, Industry and Commerce, Victoria Hernández (a survivor of Covid), the executive president of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), Román Macaya, and the president of the National Commission for the Prevention of Risks and Emergency Care (CNE), Alexander Solís, said a few words each to the memory of this past year.
President Alvarado’s message was emotional, thanking the work done by the people in the front line, first responders of response who have given everything to protect us and highlighted the great role of one and all in following the protocols and understanding that a pandemic demands that we all work together.
“It has been a tough year, but together we have come forward because Costa Rica has fought and resisted with innovation, mystique, and with its essence intact. Today, we have reached 193,000 people vaccinated, which gives us hope to move towards greater economic openness to continue recovering jobs because the vaccine is today the main tool for economic recovery,” said Alvarado.
The others recalled that with the arrival of the virus, a State of National Emergency was declared on March 16, to prevent the spread of contagion, prepare and improve hospital capacity and save lives. An arduous work that had begun months before the first case in the country on March 6.
Minister Salas expressed that “without a doubt, it has been a challenging year for all of us, which has taught us the potential of teamwork, of the power of a united country against a common enemy. Each and every one of the sectors plays a very important role in the fight that we continue to give to comply with the sanitary measures that allow us to pass through this normality”.
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“The Caja has demonstrated during this year its great capacity to reconvert the services under the concept of a single Caja. I believe that today every Costa Rican is convinced of the value of this institution and that it can count on a staff that has devoted itself fully to serving people,” said Román Macaya.
The activity took place at CEACO, because it represents the country’s ability to respond with agility, transform and immediately address the health crisis. In a matter of 11 days, the National Rehabilitation Center (CENARE) was transformed into the specialized hospital that we know today, and which has received people from all corners of the country.
“Throughout this year, the CNE, within the framework of the coordination of the National Risk Management System, activated all the mechanisms from the Emergency Operations Center, the municipal emergency committees, private companies, civil society and the institutions in a an operation that I would call unprecedented,” said Alexander Solís.
Economy Minister Hernández, indicated that the Government continues with the commitment to generate support actions to counteract the negative effects of the pandemic on our families, thus mobilizing the economy and directly impacting the generation of employment which has been in recovery and from July to date we have managed to generate more than 261,000 jobs.
The fight for life continues
During the ceremony that lasted less than 30 minutes and broadcast live on social networks, the CEACO did not stop working.
While the speeches were taking place, five patients were waiting to be transferred by ambulance to other hospitals, prepared to handle complex cases and with Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
