Goal
It is our continual goal to create a healthy environment for our staff, students, teams, and speakers, and keep you informed of the latest protocols we are following on our campus with direction from the local Costa Rican Ministry of Health.
We are very aware that this global pandemic has affected many of you personally, but continue to trust the Lord to provide for each one and bring healing and restoration to our nations!
- Reduced our operating capacity 50% basewide.
- Face-coverings are required at all times when working in close proximity and within enclosed offices
- Temperature checks will be conducted on new schools, teams, and volunteers upon first entering the base and for their first 14 days each day.
- Hand-sanitizer is available throughout the campus and we encourage frequent usage
- Cleaning and sanitizing all common areas 2 times daily
- Serving all meals on disposable dishware while wearing protective face masks, gloves, hair nets and clean aprons.
- At meal times in the dining room there will be gel alcohol on all tables which should be used immediately after passing through the hand washing area located at the entrance.
- All new students and staff will be asked to sign a medical liability release form before their arrival
- All students, new staff and returning staff will be required to fill out our COVID-19 questionnaire before their arrival to the campus.
- We will be require a negative COVID-19 test before arriving on campus according to the following categories:
1. New arriving Students: A Negative PCR test (lab exclusive).
2. Visiting Teachers & short-term teams: Rapid test (at home or lab) or PCR.
3. New short-term & long-term staff: Rapid test (at home or lab) or PCR.Immigration
For all cases, only those who have sent their results through the corresponding means to our personnel area and have received an affirmative answer back to enter the base will be able to enter the campus.
In order to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19, BEFORE coming to the campus each day we are asking all staff/students to check their symptoms.
Have you had any of the following symptoms in the past 24 hours?
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Chills – Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
- Diarrhea
- Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit
- Have you had close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19?
If you have or had any of the following symptoms in the past 24 hours please contact one of the COVID Response Team members before coming onto the campus or entering any public areas of you live on base as either a staff or student.
In case of presenting symptoms or testing positive for COVID-19 upon arrival
If you present 2 or more symptoms, we will require you to self-quarantine along with your roommates. Your leader will call the Costa Rican COVID hotline to inform them of your symptoms and how to proceed. If you test positive for COVID-19,you will be required to quarantine along with all your roommates and/or school. We will provide meals for you and assist you with seeking medical attention if needed. We are unable to provide medical care on our campus. If your condition worsens, we will call an ambulance for transport to one of the local hospitals, and notify your emergency contact immediately. You are financially responsible for any medical care you receive.
You will be unable to attend classes or campus events until you present a negative test result. If you have to be in quarantine, you can then follow classes via Zoom. If you are a student, however, and are sick and unable to attend via Zoom for more than 1 week, please know that you will not receive formal completion or credits from the University of the Nations until you can recuperate the classes at a later date.
School cancellation possibilities
The schools shall operate under the guidelines set by the Costa Rican government, under guidance from our local COVID-19 Response team and Base Elders. In the case of cancellation or postponement due to COVID, we will advise you as soon as decisions are made and give you up to a week to make travel arrangements for early departure or later arrival in case schools have not begun yet. We will work to reschedule as quickly as possible and re-enroll you in an upcoming school.
Activities within the Campus
- Classes: Will be under one of the tents and desks will be spaced 1.5 meters (approx. 6 ft.) apart.
- Corporate Meetings: All our corporate meetings will follow the established protocol including social distancing, usage of hand gel and face masks.
- Local Ministry: We will monitor potential opportunities for ministry as time goes on as regulations are constantly being updated. Our desire is to be able to provide ministry opportunities as much as we can, within the guidelines of the ministry of health department under which our health permit falls.
- Work Duties: Kept in small groups of no more than 5 people working together in an area. People on meal preps are required to wear masks, hair nets, closed-toed shoes and clean aprons.
- Intercession & Worship: Remain in small groups of no more than 5 sitting together.
- Going off base: There will be some limitations on where and when you will be allowed to leave base as to protect our community the best we can. Your direct leader will be your immediate contact regarding this guideline.
Visitors
We are currently limiting the number of visitors that come to the campus. We are slowly starting to open up again but are only accepting visitors who are friends of YWAM or needing to be on campus for a purpose i.e. family of worship leaders, family of graduates, etc.
If you would like to have a visitor on base, please check with a member of the COVID Response Team for approval and communication purposes.
For students unable to complete their program due to COVID.
If the school has to be cancelled or postponed during the lecture phase, a refund will be issued to you in accordance with our YWAM SJ finance policy. Our finance team will be able to assist you to process any refunds, or answer additional questions. Please feel free to contact us with any questions regarding your enrollment in our upcoming schools.
For those who HAVE been vaccinated:
- Complete the digital form called HEALTH PASS and available at: https://salud.go.cr
The Health Pass can only be completed within 72 hours of arriving in the country. It must be accessed in updated browsers with the exception of Internet Explorer. One form must be completed per person, including minors, without exception. - Travel policy:
As of August 1, 2021, all tourists under 18 years of age can enter the country without a travel policy that cover CoVID-19 medical complications and housing. Also, as of August 1, 2021, all tourists who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and inoculated with Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson can enter the country without a travel policy.
The last dose of the vaccine must have been applied at least 14 days before arrival in Costa Rica. - Vaccinated tourists must attach the vaccination certificate to the Health Pass.
As proof, vaccination certificates and vaccination cards that contain at least the following information will be accepted:
– Name of the person who received the vaccine
– Date of each dose.
– Pharmaceutical house
Please note: In the case of U.S. travelers, the “COVID-19 vaccination record card” will be accepted. Tourists not vaccinated, with incomplete vaccination or vaccinated with a serum other than those admitted by the Costa Rican authorities, must purchase mandatory travel insurance that covers lodging in case of quarantine and medical expenses due to COVID-19 disease as detailed below. - Valid passport (at least 6 months left of validity from day of arrival).
- Proof of round-trip ticket.
1. Insurance Policy:
Regarding the policy, you can choose any international insurance company that meets the following requirements:
- Valid during the entire stay in Costa Rica (coverage dates).
- $50,000 for medical expenses, including COVID-19 disease.
- $2,000 for lodging expenses in case of COVID-19 quarantine.
Ask your insurance company for a certificate/letter in English or Spanish stating the following:
1. Name of the person traveling.
2. Validity of the effective policy during the Costa Rica visit (travel dates).
3. Guarantee of coverage for medical expenses in case of COVID 19 in Costa Rica, for at least $50,000
4. Minimum coverage of $2,000 for lodging expenses for quarantine or trip interruption for this same amount.
This certificate must specify that the policy covers COVID-19 and must be uploaded to the HEALTH PASS to be reviewed and approved by the Costa Rican authorities. Insurance cards are not accepted, it must be a document that allows the verification of the coverage mentioned. Link to Health Pass: https://salud.go.cr/
Costa Rican policies
The tourist can also choose any of the following Costa Rican insurance companies, which sell products registered and authorized by the General Superintendency of Insurance of Costa Rica.
- INS: https://www.grupoins.com/seguros-para-viajero/seguro-viajero-ingreso-costa-rica/
- Sagicor: https://tiendasagicor.com/en/
- BlueCross BlueShield: https://www.bluecrossblueshieldcr.com/rod
IMPORTANT: For international policies, the minimum coverage was set at $50,000, while for policies sold by Costa Rican insurers the minimum was set at $20,000.
Para más información o requerimientos de entrada visite la página “Visite Costa Rica”. Puedes hacer clic en el siguiente enlace: https://www.visitcostarica.com/es/costa-rica/planning-your-trip/entry-requirements
2. Valid passport (at least 6 months left of validity from day of arrival)
3. Proof of round-trip ticket
For more information on entry requirements please visit the “Visit Costa Rica” website by CLICKING HERE
We are praying for each of you as you prepare to travel to San Jose, and look forward to learning more about what the Lord has in store for us as we seek to Know God and Make Him Known!
YWAM Puerto Viejo CoVID-19 Response Team
info@ywampuertoviejo.org
Let us connect with you
If you have any questions related to the subject, you can write to us to get in touch with you.
