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Que Pasa Grecia
2021 Update 9
Welcome to the New Que Pasa Grecia Website
As soon as you can, please go to the new Que Pasa Grecia website (at the same URL link) and check it out. You need to thank QPGs dedicated and talented webmaster, Diane Cooner, for her tireless effort to make this new website a reality. Vendor business changes provided our motivation to change, but we used them as an opportunity to make the QPG site more appealing and mobile-friendly, better organized and, hopefully, easier to use.
Going forward, we will also add the posting date on all articles and listings and will post the most-current subscriber email update on the site and make timely social and governmental info easier to access. We are also added an improved search engine to the new site beginning 16 November.
Most of us find change difficult to accept. However, we hope the improved new website will still feel familiar and will quickly feel like home. We know it’s not yet perfect, and so we welcome and appreciate your suggestions to help us iron out any issues you may encounter.
We Need to Keep Que Pasa Grecia Running – Again, It’s Time to Ask for Contributions
Que Pasa Grecia is purely a volunteer website and depends on your input and contributions to keep it viable. It’s been two years since we asked for contributions, but we need to ask for your help again to pay our annual internet and software licensing fees.
If you find value from QPG and our editorial email updates, please pitch in and show us that you appreciate what we do. We have a convenient, non-contact COVID-era method set up this time. Please send your contributions as “friends and family” on PayPal, to: amani@ioia.net.
New in Que Pasa Grecia
Added since our last update, we have added two more houses for rent, a bunch of electronic gadgets and board games for sale, a stack of free paperback books, and listings for Chinese energy therapy and a translator/assisted living/general assistant.
8 January QR COVID-19 ‘Vaccination Passport’ Becomes Mandatory
Beginning 8 January, in order to be admitted to any indoor or outdoor special events, hotels, restaurants, bar, casinos, museums, parks, adventure tourism, most businesses, gyms and sporting events a new version of the intra-country ‘vaccine passport’ will be required. (Supermarkets, pharmacies, health centers and churches are excluded.) The government says the new QR-code (Quick Response code) ‘passport’ application software will be available on line no later than 8 November on the Ministry of Health website: https://usuarios.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/.
Beginning 1 December all of the restricted venues mentioned in the previous paragraph can chose to admit patrons at 100% capacity if they check everyone over 12 years of age for the complete vaccination scheme as verified by the new QR code application. If any of their clientele are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated, these venues will be restricted to 50% capacity.
The QR software is the same software being used to create ‘vaccination passports’ in the European Union. For those already in possession of the original ‘vaccination passport,’ you are supposed to be able to use the original activation pin you received to apply for the new QR version. It appears that visiting foreigners will be given these same entry requirements by showing their country’s COVID passport. U.S. citizens should check with the State Department or embassy for any clarification required.
It is unclear, but an apostiled QR version vaccination passport is likely to be required for travel to Europe once Americans are permitted to travel to Europe again and MAY eventually be required for travel to the U.S. and/or elsewhere.
The delta variant is still here and needs to be taken seriously. Get your shot. Remember, we may be done with COVID-19, but COVID-19 is not done with us—not for some time to come.
Daytime Driving Restrictions To Almost Disappear and Curfews to Reduce
Beginning 1 November, at least, through the end of the year, weekday driving restrictions will return to those that existed prior to the pandemic with no restrictions in place for daytime driving except the one day per workweek plate restrictions in San Jose. Weekend driving restrictions will completely disappear beginning 15 November. The driving curfew and, hence, business curfew will reduce from 11pm through 5am seven days per week.
Possibly, a Very Wet Dry Season Ahead
Be prepared. Climate change will continue to impact us all. For many, it will be life-changing; for the rest of us, hopefully, only an inconvenience.
Don’t throw out your sunscreen, but don’t put your umbrellas away just yet. Costa Rica meteorologists are predicting a La Nina settling in the Caribbean that, except for the Guanacaste province, will extend our wet season after its usual mid-November end until early to mid-February. If so, the upside: 2022 won’t see drought conditions and water rationing.
Foreigners (Including Ticos) To Be Admitted Into The U.S.
Beginning 8 November, vaccinated foreigners from 33 countries entering the U.S. by land, airports and ports will be permitted entry into the U.S. with proof of vaccination and a negative test.
“El que mucho abarca poco aprieta”
English equivalent: Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Thank you Isabel Arguello for your continuing contributions.
Isabel teaches Spanish and does translations.
Find out more about Isabel on the QuePasaGrecia website.
Enjoy your expanded mobility and your new Que Pasa Grecia, but please, stay safe,
D. Davis, editor
Diane Cooner, webmaster
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