1 million Costa Ricans have received a Covid vaccine
Two-thirds of administered doses correspond to adults 58 years or older.
More than 1 million people in Costa Rica have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, authorities reported Wednesday. This represents about 20% of the country’s population.
Costa Rica has administered 1.7 million total vaccine doses, including more than 646,000 people who have received both shots of the two-dose series.
Of the doses administered, two-thirds (1.2 million) correspond to adults 58 years of age or older. A further 192,000 doses correspond to younger adults with Covid-19 risk factors.
Costa Rica has administered 31.1 doses per 100 residents. On the American continent, this trails: Canada (64), the United States (89), the Dominican Republic (40), Brazil (32), Uruguay (83) and Chile (99).1
On the other hand, Costa Rica has received just 24% of the 9 million vaccines it purchased. The country has administered more than 77% of the doses it has received to date.
How to get vaccinated in Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s vaccine priority is as follows:
First group: Staff and residents at retirement or nursing homes. First responders, including health personnel.
Second group: Costa Rica’s older population (ages 58 and up).
Third group: People from 12-58 with risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory illness, kidney disease and obesity, among others.
Fourth group: Teachers and other staff within the Education Ministry (MEP) or private schools. Imprisoned people and judicial staff. Workers for the 911 service.
Fifth group: Health science students and related technicians in clinical fields. Then, all remaining adults and children ages 12 and older.
Vaccines are free through the Social Security System for citizens and residents. They are not yet available for private purchase, though the Health Ministry last month authorized the private sector to import them.
Vaccinations are coordinated by EBAIS (public-health clinics). If you belong to one of the top four priority groups, contact your local EBAIS to be added to their list.
For EBAIS contact information, click here. To track vaccine shipments to Costa Rica, click here.
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Data from the excellent New York Times global vaccine tracker.