And, we apologies for that abrupt break due to a technical glitch…we start back up where we left off with the other nationally important measures benign taken to cope with COVID 19.
The border closure, as we have reported, the airport and borders were closed to visitors in the week of March 23rd, but it remained open to Belizeans who cannot be denied entry to their country of citizenship.
But, under a state of emergency, they can be, and the Prime Minister said that is the measure that the appearance of patient 4 has forced them to take:..
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow,Prime Minister
"Some days ago, we notified of our decision to place all Belizeans entering or re-entering Belize, under a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Since that time around 19 Belizeans are now confined in Corozal Town at two facilities. Yet, they keep on coming. This is a stark reminder that our first two cases were brought in from L.A. and New York. The situation of Belizeans that have been in the U.S. and Mexico simply returning to the country willy nilly, cannot be allowed to continue. It leaves the door wide open to importation of the virus and this can upend all our war efforts against COVID-19."
"As a consequence, and after obtaining the unanimous support of the National Oversight Committee, the Government of Belize has decided that our borders are now to be closed even to Belizeans seeking to enter the country. Except in the case of those that are returning from travel for urgent medical attention or some other emergency purpose, no Belizean currently abroad can return to Belize. This prohibition will, in the first instance, last for the duration of the State of Emergency; and it will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, April 5th."
"It is, I readily admit, an extreme move. There is, however, no doubt that it has become necessary as we do everything to head off the swamping of our health system and the serious loss of life that the proliferation of the virus would entail. I, therefore, ask all Belizeans, and particularly those in the diaspora, for their understanding. This is the fight of our lives."
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