Email

Print

So what does that Sate of Emergency mean?  Well, it remarks Ambergris Caye as an emergency area.  And, that emergency area is under a public state of emergency where, quote “Every person is expected to practice social distancing, which includes the practice of staying home, avoiding crowds, and refraining from touching one another.â€￾ End quote.  

Next, no person shall enter nor exit Ambergris Caye during the state of public emergency. Â 

Also, gatherings of more than 10 persons are not allowed anywhere on Ambergris Caye. 

Additionally, anyone who develops flu-like symptoms and who may have had contact with someone who has travelled to a country affected by COVID-19 or is infected with COVID-19 must immediately inform the Ministry of Health. 

Now, these are not just suggestions; it is a state of emergency, and anyone who violates the orders we just read out for you, quote, “thereby commits an offence and is liable to imprisonment for one year.â€￾

Now, fortunately, this state of emergency will only last for 72 hours. That’s the time that the Ministry of Health needs to do the contract tracing for that one infected woman.

And while the state of emergency is for Ambergris Caye, countrywide, bars, clubs, and casinos will be closed. 

The Prime Minister outlined the new social distancing directive this morning:

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Bars, clubs, casino’s I don’t see how those can be allowed to continue to open. And insofar as grocery stores, supermarkets, there will have to be the monitoring on the part of the owners of these properties, personnel being stationed at the entrances to control the flow of these customers.  And to ensure that if there is a line outside, there is a distance between the persons forming that line."

Additionally, it was announced today that Restaurants will be closed for dining-in effective Wednesday, March 25th at midnight.  After that, only take-out services will be allowed.