QCOSTARICA – While we hold our breath for possible vehicular restrictions to be announced next week, that would take effect after January 15, we take another look at the current restrictions in place since December 20.
Nationwide, the current vehicular restrictions apply from 12 midnight to 5:00 am, every day from Monday to Sunday, for all types of vehicles, save for those included in the well-known list of exemptions. See the official details here.
In the downtown area of San Jose, bounded by the Circunvalacion, the vehicle restrictions are in effect weekdays, from Monday to Friday, from 5:00 am to 11:59 pm, based on the last digit of the license plate as follows:
- Mondays, vehicles with plates ending in 1 & 2 cannot circulate
- Tuesdays, vehicles with plates ending in 3 & 5 cannot circulate
- Wednesdays, vehicles with plates ending in 5 & 6 cannot circulate
- Thursdays, vehicles with plates ending in 7 & 8 cannot circulate
- Fridays, vehicles with plates ending in 9 & 0 cannot circulate
There are no restrictions on weekends and the well-known exemptions apply.
On Thursday, January 6, President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, said in a press conference that he is evaluating tightening the measures to mitigate the increase in new cases of covid-19, even more with the circulation of the omicron variant.
Alvarado did not offer an exact date, but we can expect changes to be announced before the end of the week next week.
Any changes to the vehicular restrictions will affect the opening hours of retail stores, restaurants, supermarkets, among others.