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Tonight, The Philip Goldson International Airport is closed. It’s an extreme measure that has probably only been taken once before in the country’s independent history.  Reports suggest that this closure will be in effect for 30 days in the first instance after which time it will be reassessed. 

That’s because of concerns over potential imported cases of COVID-19. As we’ve reported the first Belizean to test positive for the virus returned to Belize through the P.G.I.A. just last Thursday. 

Over the weekend the U.S. Embassy, as well as the British High Commission, told their citizens to make arrangements to leave Belize while they still could. Many Belizeans abroad decided to ride out the worst of this global pandemic at home. That was easier said than done because air travel in the era of COVID-19 is becoming increasingly restricted. We headed to the P.G.I.A. this afternoon as one of the the last flights, for now, touched down.  We spoke to two Belizean women who made it home just under the wire:

Tropic Air announced today that at the request of the government it was temporarily suspending flights to and form San Pedro - except for those from San Pedro to the PGIA - for foreign travellers only.  This should last for less than 72 hours.  

Last week Tropic announced suspensions of it’s Belmopan, San Ignacio, Orange Walk, Cancun, Roatan, and Flores routes.