While COVID-19 has spread at great speed, it has taken the whole world time to adapt to the situation to which this virus is subjecting us. Not only has our environment changed in all aspects; but also social life. We can no longer travel anywhere without masks. In addition, traveling is more complicated since airports have activated a series of specific protocols in order to further prevent the spread of the Virus.
This with the aim of having some control and thus preventing COVID-19 from continuing to take over the world. For this reason, airports suggest that travelers have the COVID-19 test when traveling and of course that you take the test in a reliable laboratory.
False COVID-19 tests
It is recommended to be careful with the laboratory and the protocol for carrying out the PCR, so that what happened at the Juan Santamaría International Airport, in the province of Alajuela, does not happen to you, where the police officers had to act by arresting 47 travelers that presented their allegedly false COVID-19 tests when they were about to leave the country.
The arrests were made by the Airport Police and the Judicial Investigation Agency, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Professional Migration Police. These detections happened when the agents at the checkpoint detect that the documents shown by the travelers were false during the verification process, which communicated with the laboratories mentioned in said documents.
These officials are trained to follow strict rules to detect counterfeits working in conjunction with the coordination between the Ministry of Health and the laboratories mentioned for the COVID-19 diagnostic tests.
When the officer cannot verify that the telephone number that is in the document is real, the traveler will be arrested immediately and placed at the order of the Public Ministry for a speedy trial that is known as flagrante delicto, for the crime of using false documentation.
These people who have been found guilty for this crime of conducting false COVID tests will receive penalties of one to six years in prison. But, in most cases the judge orders alternative solutions.
Tests be performed laboratories authorized by the government
The alternative solutions ordered by the judge are for example from a donation of supplies to a health organization. On the other hand, negative COVID-19 tests have to be performed in a laboratory in places authorized by the government to receive the correct medical examination.
Finally, it is appropriate to remember that these COVID-19 tests are essential to enter other countries, so try to perform them in a laboratory that is authorized by the government as to not have problems when entering a country. In prevention is strength, if you take care of yourself, you take care of others.
