BLUE SPIRIT COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
ON-SITE COVID TESTING NOW AVAILABLE! FOR ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE!
Wellbeing is at the heart of Blue Spirit’s core values and caring for our guests and staff as well. With this in mind, social distancing measures are embedded in all services for guest protection, including appropriate spacing during check-in, in dining, buffet line, café and classroom areas. Our singular goal is to provide guests and employees with the confidence and assurance that their health and safety is our first priority.
Blue Spirit requires that each guest either shows a negative Covid test (no older than 72 hours) or gets tested upon arrival at the retreat center.
We encourage single occupancy, except for couples or known friend or family member.
We offer online and contactless check-in. If you do the check-in traditionally after arrival we have appropriate spacing in the check-in hall. Our receptionists are separated with a protective glass barrier. For contactless service, during your stay, you can use our intranet for information about our offered service, general questions and information, our helpful receptionists are also available via online chat. You receive your login information 72-hour prior arrival date.
Your luggage is sanitized before loading it to your shuttle or private taxi from the airport and for your convenience, upon arrival our helpful staff will assist in carrying to main lobby and place it in your room after registration.
All guests are asked to not leave Blue Spirit’s premises or Blue Spirit beach during their stay, in order to minimize the contacts with the outside community where the likelihood of contracting Covid is greater. This way we can assure that all of our guests and staff are creating and maintaining a ’safe Covid bubble’.
Enhanced food safety and hygiene protocols for dining – including glass barrier at buffet line to allow staff server with mask and glove to plate food choices.
Social distancing guidance in public areas along with dining service and group classrooms. In the dining hall, a fixed placement of tables and the number of chairs for each table ensures the proper distance and spacing.
Prominent placement of hand sanitizer stations throughout public and employee areas.
Additional hand-wash stations have been installed in the reception hall and before entering the classrooms.
Blue Spirit requires the wearing of face masks in all public and common areas on the premises. If you present a health condition as asthma, please present your medical certification upon arrival to provide a special attention.
All service staff will wear protective masks and other equipment.
Increased frequency of cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants on all high-touch surfaces and areas such as guest rooms, dining area, common spaces, classrooms, restrooms, etc.
Daily temperature check-ups of all staff, including therapists, prior to working.
Full staff trainings for hygiene and cleanliness.
We recommend to bring your own yoga mat & yoga blanket. If you use our mats your spot and mat will be marked with your name and only you will use that mat and probs during your stay.
The Longevity Center offers specialized immune booster programs for your stay, if desired.
No commuters or temporary outside visitors will be allowed on premises to assure a safe and hermetic environment.
Shuttle and taxi services capacity, back and forth to the airport is reduced to guarantee social distancing among passengers. Private taxis are available. All vehicles are sanitized before and after use.
CDC TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
***NEWS: As of January 26th, all travelers returning to the US need to show they have a Negative COVID TEST (within 3 days of arrival) before re-entering the US. To make this process really smooth, Blue Spirit is now offering to all guests an easy onsite COVID test on Wednesday of each week – with results within 2 days – thus prior to flights back on Saturday. This is being done in close collaboration with local CR medical services, so that you can rest assure that you are meeting all the requirements for your travel back home. We are expecting the cost to be around US$140.-
COSTA RICA ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Since Nov. 1, Costa Rica has allowed all countries in the world to enter by air, as long as they meet the country’s visa and COVID-19 entry requirements.
The Government of the Republic has facilitated the entry of international tourists, and since Oct. 26, eliminated the requirement of RT-PCR tests for the detection of the coronavirus. Neither Costa Ricans nor foreigners will be issued sanitary confinement (or quarantine) orders when entering the country by air. These measures are subject to change and dependent on the evolution of the pandemic both in Costa Rica and around the world.
Tourists visiting Costa Rica are asked to abide by the sanitary protocols implemented for carrying out all tourist activities in the country.
Entry requirements for the country
For information on visas, refer to the General Directorate of Migration and Foreigners: https://www.migracion.go.cr/Paginas/Visas.aspx
The following requirements remain during the pandemic:
Complete the digital form called HEALTH PASS and available at https://salud.go.cr
This pass will be available 48 hours before boarding. It must be accessed in an updated browser (except for Internet Explorer). An individual form must be completed for every person, including minors.
Purchase health insurance
It is mandatory that tourists purchase travel insurance, covering their accommodations in case of quarantine and medical expenses due to COVID-19 illness. An explanation of one’s travel insurance coverage, addressing Costa Rica’s requirements, must be uploaded or entered into the HEALTH PASS in order to be reviewed and approved by the Costa Rican authorities. If more information on international insurance is needed, the Costa Rican authorities will contact the passenger at the email address indicated in the HEALTH PASS.
In the case of international insurance, the tourist must request from their insurer a certification issued in English or Spanish, noting at least three conditions, without forgetting to add it to the HEALTH PASS:
Validity of the effective policy during the visit in Costa Rica.
Guarantee of coverage for medical expenses in cases of pandemic disease COVID 19 in Costa Rica, for at least US $50,000 (fifty thousand dollars of the United States of America).
Minimum coverage of US $2,000 for extended lodging expenses due to pandemic illness or trip interruption/cancellation due to illness, which covers the extra cost of the passenger due to quarantine.
If you do not have international insurance, it is possible to opt for travel insurance from Costa Rican companies approved by SUGESE (General Superintendency of Insurance of Costa Rica), which offer their services at Juan Santamaría international airports (city of San José) and Daniel Oduber Quirós (city of Liberia).
National insurances meet all the requirements to have coverage of medical expenses for illness, including COVID-19, for a minimum amount of $20,000 and coverage for extended lodging expenses or quarantine, due to pandemic illness, for a minimum amount of $2,000.
Local insurance authorized for travelers can be valued at the following links. If you have doubts or queries about the requirements or conditions of the insurance, please email seguros@ict.go.cr
Foreigners with temporary or permanent residence or temporary category who return to Costa Rica, and who are not up to date with the corresponding payments with the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, must purchase a temporary local insurance for 22 days or bring an international insurance that complies with the requirements of a foreign tourist.
In the case of foreigners with the migratory category of permanent or temporary resident, or special category in the latter case, with the exception of the Student Subcategory, they must demonstrate the insurance by the Costa Rican social security, which can be verified at https://sfa.ccss.sa.cr/servMedicos/validarDerechos.do
If these requirements are not met, the passenger will not be able to enter the country.
Private flights
From Sept. 1, private flights from the United States of America are allowed to enter the country. For passengers on private flights, the same requirements already described apply.
Maritime entry
Passengers and crew of yachts and sailboats must meet the same sanitary entry requirements that the country requires of those who enter by air.
In addition to the aforementioned requirements, tourists coming from yachts or sailboats must also hand over to the immigration authorities the document “International Ship Sailing and Dock” in authorized marinas.
In case of doubts with the medical insurance, the passengers and crew of yachts or sailboats can write to the email seguros.marinas@ict.go.cr.