Unlocking Travel: Discover Costa Rica’s Updated Yellow Fever Certificate Mandates!

The Costa Rican Ministry of Health has declared that starting February 2025, a yellow fever vaccination certificate will be mandatory for all travelers heading to 44 nations.

The list of these nations encompasses Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of South Sudan, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.

This choice was made by health officials, as these regions are identified as high-risk areas for yellow fever spread. The Ministry of Health announced that due to a lack of vaccines for this illness, a special free vaccination day is scheduled for today. The inoculation will take place at two sites: the National Stadium (La Sabana) and INCIENSA’s premises (Tres Ríos) from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The vaccination will cater to individuals traveling to areas of risk in January, February, and March 2025, as well as those in need of the vaccination certificate, and will also be available to others as supplies permit.

Individuals interested should sign up via the health ministry’s website. “This exemplifies the dedication of the Ministry of Health to ensure that our population has access to essential vaccines,” commented the Minister of Health, Dr. Mary Munive.

Munive mentioned that the situation will be continually observed, with appropriate measures being taken to safeguard public health. Yellow fever is a viral illness transmitted by mosquitoes, originating from an RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family, predominantly found in tropical regions of Africa and South America.

While most infections are asymptomatic, they can present with fever, fatigue, nausea, and muscular discomfort. In serious circumstances, it can lead to jaundice, liver failure, internal hemorrhaging, and extensive organ damage, with a case fatality rate that can reach as high as 60%. The vaccination stands as the primary preventive strategy and is given as a one-time occurrence, becoming effective 10 days post-administration.