And, the opening for tourism also gives Belizeans who have been stuck
abroad a chance to return home - without having to go through that
expensive mandatory 14-day quarantine. It works out to about $1,500
Belize dollars for the two weeks in complete lockdown at a designated
hotel.
Starting on August 15th, returning Belizeans will be able to avoid that
- but on the condition that they bring a PCR test which says they are
COVID negative. Failing that, they will need to take one when the
return. The PM explained:
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize
"Belizeans too will be asked to bring back negative PCR test result
that's not older than 72 hours. If they don't, they will be tested but
the testing regiment for the return Belizeans will be different from
that for the international visitors. The Belizeans will not be tested
with the antigen and antibody rapid tests, which we all accept are not
as reliable as the PCR tests. All Belizeans will therefore be tested by
the PCR test. That frontline PCR test that we will use on Belizeans,
will be by way of the Taiwanese PCR machines and the Taiwanese tests
that we have obtained or are in a process of obtaining. That is the one
Dr. Goff described as having a turnaround time of 85 minutes. So, that
is far more reliable. All Belizeans that turn up negative in
consequence of the PCR test, will be allowed to go free, although, they
will be asked to self-isolate for a period. If of course, they are
positive, then they have to go into quarantine. Remember right now,
when you are repatriated, you must go into quarantine, there's no if or
but, you must go to quarantine. So that's the difference, those that
come back now, through the PGIA, will not be obliged to go in
quarantine."
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