www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I just asked a question dbag!!

That’s a conspiracy theory going around social media. Yes the CARES ACT adds a premium to hospital reimbursement for treating COVID patients and even more if they die secondary to it. Hospitals aren’t falsifying records. The people have the disease and death certificates ask for immediate cause of death as well as other medical problems. There nothing wrong there. Billing and coding departments are always trying to document properly for work done to get maximum reimbursement. That’s not fraud.

Bump!

Yes, that’s the real question that needs answer on this forum. Thanks for anyone who right now lives in CR and share with us how things are looking or gonna look in the next couple of months or so.

I am eyeing on a July 4th return. Gotta use my airline credit before July 14th. I think we will know by end of May or so if CR will reopen the border by then and some airlines resume their services. And, if a trip to CR will be seen in the eyes of the DHS as a casual trip as opposed to them scrutinizing is more upon return (in other words, hassle us with temp check, quarantine or harassing us with questions like ‘why did you make that trip? Is it essential blah blah etc).

Here in Costa Rica there have been 10 straight days where more people recovered than new cases reported. Yesterday 22 recovered and 2 new cases. At this rate there will soon be more persons recovered than active cases. There have been less than 700 cases reported in a country of 5 million. The borders are closed until May 15. Social distancing regulations are still in place but I suspect they will start to relax them starting the 1st of May baring new outbreaks. I doubt that things will get close to normal for months if ever. Most prospective tourists will think hard before going to a foreign country and risk getting sick there. Tourists from the States are not as big a risk here as people returning from Nicaragua. Nobody knows how prevalent the virus is there. The virus is not something that anyone wants to catch. The degree of hysteria that has spread probably exceeds the real danger of disease. Studies are showing that very rarely do young heathy people die from this virus. It is very serious if you are older, obese, or have pre-existing health conditions. I am 70 and have several pre-existing conditions. I am high risk. I am presently taking more precautions than I have ever taken in my life. My house is sanitized, I avoid crowded conditions, I stay away from people who appear to be or that I know are sick, I wear a mask in public, my hands are cleaner than they have ever been in my life.

I think the solution is worse than the disease. I don't expect the whole country of Costa Rica to shut down to try to prevent me from getting sick. If I get sick then I roll the dice and hope my immune system is up to the task of saving me. Last week on Facebook I saw a friend of close to 50 years very upset because the governor of Georgia started relaxing the quarantine rules. Opening barber shops, beauty shops and gyms is not going to start an epidemic. The people who frequent these locations can choose if they wish to go and control when and how they wish to risk exposure. Being high risk I will continue to shave my head at home. All of the parks and beaches are closed here. In most of them you are a whole lot safer than you would be at the grocery store, pharmacy, or bus stop.

If someone told me that 6 months before a Presidential election that the United States economy would endure a major catastrophy I would not have been surprised. A lot of agendas are currently on the line. Your future and the future of your Ch*ldren are on the line in this election. Be careful what you wish for.

Pops, thank you so much for your news in CR and your perspective. I agree that in the US and less so in CR there are lots of political agendas going on. I will continue to wear a mask and observe social distancing in the US, I am high risk too.
Can't wait to get back to contribute to the Costa Rican economy and to support the chicas in need in any way that I can.

_________________
" Omit no happy hour that may give furtherance to our expedition."

There are no easy answers.....but the shelter in place was done more to curtail the onslaught of patients in hospitals. I live in Texas where you have "this is all bullshit, the hospitals are empty" statements from friends and local media; but I also have family and Friends in NY and some of them work in the hospitals and their stories are not all BS and is depressing frankly. The difference is the Shelter-in-Place timeline in relation to cases; Shelter-in-Place is working in terms of not overwhelming the medical system.

Accurate and massive testing is what is needed; for both suspected cases AND for testing of Antibodies; until then any statistic and numbers other than deaths is pure speculation...hell they are finding some tests in the US are giving false positives and others are giving false negatives.

And as for the last statement about being politically advantageous and planned.... that would be one hell of a conspiracy to get all levels of government and both parties aboard to have happen. All levels of government and both parties mishandled this from the beginning and continue to do so in many ways which is just prolonging the economic downturn.....and if we don't get the proper testing in place by the fall, we will be back here again. Read up on the Spanish Flu of 1918; time lines are very similar and it was worse in the Fall. Proper testing needs to be done to do more strategic shutdowns and shelter-in-place orders.

Phone tracking will enable the country to open up:

A CCSS app(lication) already installed on at least 1.2 million cell phones in Costa Rica could become an instrument to combat the spread of the new coronavirus.
It’s called Expediente Digital Único en Salud (EDUS) – Unique Digital Health Record, it has been operating since 2015, but in the midst of the pandemic it has been shown that it could be used to locate (and treat) those who have come into contact with people infected with covid-19.
Do not panic. First, the system would be voluntary. Second, totally anonymous. And Third, it has not been approved yet, but the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) is seriously evaluating the legal feasibility.

_________________
Softbob

There is nothing either good or bad
but thinking makes it so.
HAMLET

Government just held a press conference to announce some minor relaxing of restrictions. My favorite is movie theaters can open, but patrons need to have two meters between them. I'm picturing 8 people in a movie theater with a lot of crime tape wrapped around the seats. Gyms, auto parts, barbers, are among the things that can open but with reduced capacity and other restrictions. Next revisions will be announced May 11 if things stay calm with new infections.

Net, even though the borders are closed until May 15 they will definitely extend that. They don't even want to open the beaches or parks yet, so obviously the borders won't open in two weeks. And of course no word on bars either. It's gonna be awhile, folks.

My guess is that we are in the very early stage of this pandemic. We are still learning HOW COVID-19 operates and discovering new elements of the disease daily. Por ejemplo, it was assumed that the virus would spike on the chart and then descend and "flatten out" if we followed safety measures (face masks, distancing, etc.)...until the line 'flattened out' at a MUCH HIGHER level than anticipated!

A personal observation > Effective early reaction to the virus...Taiwan CRUSHED it, USA BUNGLED it. Anyone UP for Taiwan as a potential future Monger Destination?

Let's be thankful they labeled it 'Coronavirus' and not 'Imperialvirus' or 'Pilsenvirus'!

El Gringo Loco

I don't know what the effect of the insurance industry has on how deaths are reported. If it has an effect it would be a US thing only. But it is not a worldwide thing. Deaths attributed to the virus are vastly under reported in most places because of lack of testing.

You were just asking a question. My apologies.

From the Ministry of Health
https://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/

Todays Announcement (English Translation at end of post)
https://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/ind ... o-del-pais

Slides of Government Presentation (You can use Google Translate's image function to translate pirtions of each slide)
https://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/sob ... 020_02.pdf

Today's announcement in English:
Government announces new measures for the operation of the country
* Cinemas, places to practice or practice non-contact sports, gyms and swimming schools may open establishments during the week under certain conditions.
* President of the Republic will issue a directive to the hierarchs to generate prevention and mitigation protocols that allow the reactivation and continuity of work centers, activities and services.
* Authorities insisted on the need to promote telework as a priority.
* Vehicle restriction will remain unchanged until May 15.
* The measures will be gradual and will depend on the behavior of the cases and if necessary, restrictions will be implemented again. May 11 will be evaluated for further changes.
April 27, 2020. The Government of the Republic announced the new guidelines that will govern from May 1 where the reopening of some activities occurs under certain restrictions.
The measures will be gradual and will depend on the behavior of the cases and if necessary, restrictions will be implemented again.
* It is enabled during the week from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm:
* Cinemas and theaters with measures of separation of seats of minimum 2 meters between each person and ticket office or electronic reservation.
* Establishments for the practice or training of sports without contact, with a reduction in their maximum capacity of normal occupation to twenty-five percent (25%).
* Gyms with a reduction of their maximum capacity of normal occupation to twenty-five percent (25%), with appointment scheduling and different hours for people with risk factors.
* Swimming schools, with a reduction in their maximum normal occupancy capacity to twenty-five percent (25%).
* It is enabled on weekends from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm, in addition to the list of exceptions already issued:
* Beauty salons and barber shops, with a capacity of fifty percent (50%) according to maximum capacity and only by appointment.
* Retail sale of parts, pieces and accessories for motor vehicles and motorcycles, with a capacity of fifty percent (50%) according to maximum occupancy capacity.
* Parking or parking.
May 11 will be evaluated for further changes.
Protocol for reactivation and continuity of work activities
On the other hand, the President of the Republic, Carlos Alvarado issued a directive to all hierarchs of the Central and Decentralized Administration to initiate a coordinated and participatory process with all sectors for the generation of specific protocols with prevention and mitigation measures, which allow the reactivation and continuity of work centers, activities and services.
The protocols must be built between the institutions and the respective sectors, who may send their proposals to the Ministry or Executive Presidency as appropriate.
Alvarado was emphatic in indicating that “the fact that the protocol is in place does not mean that the activity can be resumed. Only the Ministry of Health will indicate the time when the activities can be restored "
Once the activity is enabled, the Ministry of Health will carry out random inspections to verify compliance with the protocol. Those who do not comply with the general guidelines and specific protocols will have their health permit suspended for one calendar month.
Said specific protocols must comply with the following general guidelines of the Ministry of Health:
1. Constantly verify that the protocols are being applied in all their internal areas, with a focus on continuous improvement.
2. People with symptoms or signs of cold or flu are prohibited from attending work, study or meeting places.
3. Telecommuting should be permanent at all possible ends.
4. Have a protocol for action in the presence of a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, so that it can be promptly attended to.
5. Have an internal communication mechanism to keep all officials, clients or members updated on any modification or update of internal or general measures.
6. The facilities must have signage in visible spaces with the protocols of coughing, sneezing, hand washing, among others. Sanitary services should be equipped with toilet paper, antibacterial soap, alcohol or gel solution with a composition of at least 60%, paper towels for drying hands and drinking water.
7. Likewise, there must be a cleaning protocol that specifies at least the products to be used, the frequency, the personal protective equipment, as well as the correct form for the disposal of waste and make a visible log with the Actions.
8. Regarding ventilation, natural ventilation should be preferred, but in the absence of this, it will be mandatory to maintain the air conditioning with replacement of filters according to the specifications of each system.
Use of space
1. All spaces must operate at 50% of their capacity to ensure that the 2-meter distance between people can be met.
2. Workspaces should not be shared, even on sequential shifts.
3. Utensils or objects should not be shared in the workplace or meeting.
4. Maintain cleanliness and disinfection in the facilities.
5. Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned with alcohol solution of at least 70 ° or commercial disinfectants frequently.
6. Those services that can be carried out through appointments must prioritize this methodology.
7. Establish a different opening hours in customer service centers for vulnerable populations.
8. Meetings or congregations of people should be virtual whenever possible. If they are in person, they should not exceed 1 hour.
9. Roles / schedules must be established in the institution's dining rooms or feeding places, in order to maintain the capacity at 50%.
10. Promote home or vehicle delivery of goods and services to reduce the number of customers who must go to the point of sale.
11. Divide squads of workers or production teams into groups to ensure that there are "backup teams" that can ensure production on all work shifts.
12. Reduce or restrict visits by external personnel to the operation or contractors, keeping only those related to critical issues.
13. If a collaborator meets the definition of a suspected case, they will not be allowed to enter the workplace, they must be provided with a mouthpiece and they must be instructed to go to the nearest institutional, business, or health center for your assessment.
Any activity found to be in breach of the established guidelines and protocols will suspend your health permit for one calendar month. If the default is repeated, the activity will be suspended indefinitely.
The vehicle restriction will remain unchanged. During the daytime they will apply from 5 am to 7 pm, with distribution of plates, the total night vehicle restriction will be from 7 pm to 5 am, and on weekends the plates finished in odd numbers may transit on Saturdays and the even ones on days Sunday from 5 am to 7 pm

_________________
If you let the devil ride, he's gonna want to drive

I kept my personal opinion and commentary out of the previous post.
My reads/opinion are:
1. The Ministry of Health expects a second wave in late July to be worse than current wave.
2. The Ministry of Health and the Alvarado Administration are focused on restricting travel to the beaches and developing surveillance testing capacity (six to eight weeks away)
3. I am noticing plexiglass sneeze shields everywhere; pharmacies, stores, etc.
4. I am also hearing people driving at night, especially motorcycles. Nothing like before the lockdown, but definitely more than last week.
5. Tinder has mostly dried up, I expect they have changed their matching algorithm. Lots of girls from other locations wanting to sell pics. Only 1 in 5 are real local girls. I sessioned with one new girl (Badoo) and one regular in the past week. Times are slow in Boyntonland.

FYI- regular flu season is just starting here and flu vaccinations start next week (different strain than US flu shots). Also dengue is worse this year than last. This is not really a big concern in the GAM, but mostly on the Caribbean and in the Northern Central area. They have started malathion spraying on both coasts.

_________________
If you let the devil ride, he's gonna want to drive

Thanks very much, Boynton, for the very informative links and current observations keeping us up to date on the situation in the beautiful Pais de Tranquilo.

Pura Vida,
El Gringo Loco

Let's hope we can get back to mongering instead of all this fear mongering being spread by the media.

The plague of hysteria is worse than the actual plague. Next to all the numbers of confirmed cases and deaths, they should also post the numbers of suicides, bankruptcies and domestics caused by this lock down.