Costa Rica Launches Sarampión Vaccination Campaign for Travelers
Costa Rica’s social security system, Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), began a vaccination campaign on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, targeting individuals aged 20 to 39 who are planning travel to countries in the Americas experiencing measles outbreaks. This preventative measure aims to minimize the risk of reintroducing the virus into the country, a concern given rising global cases of the highly contagious disease.
The CCSS is offering the vaccine without requiring prior appointments at health centers nationwide. “We invite you to come to the different health centers. it is not necessary to develop an appointment,” explained Dr. Jéssica Navarro Ramírez, director of Development of Health Services. The initiative comes as several countries in the region report active measles outbreaks, prompting health officials to take proactive steps to protect the population.
Currently, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, the United States, and Uruguay are listed as countries with ongoing measles outbreaks, according to the CCSS. The Ministry of Health will update this list as new alerts are issued. Health officials recommend receiving the vaccine at least two weeks before departure to ensure optimal protection.
This action follows a recent confirmed imported case of measles in Costa Rica involving a four-year-old Mexican girl who developed symptoms after entering the country. While Costa Rica has not experienced endemic measles cases since 1999, with only 15 imported cases recorded since then – the last in Guanacaste the previous year – the situation in neighboring countries necessitates preventative measures.
Mexico, in particular, is facing a severe measles crisis, with 1,153 new confirmed cases reported in the first few days of January. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that measles is a highly contagious viral disease spread through respiratory droplets, and can lead to serious complications and even death. The vaccination campaign underscores the ongoing public health challenges associated with preventing the spread of infectious diseases in a globally interconnected world.
The vaccine is voluntary, and the CCSS encourages eligible travelers to take advantage of the opportunity to protect themselves and contribute to preventing the re-establishment of measles within Costa Rica. More information can be found here and here.
“Ante la alerta sanitaria por el aumento de casos a nivel mundial de sarampión, la CCSS iniciará una estrategia de vacunación dirigida a población viajera entre 20 y 39 años de edad,” Navarro added.
