7 News Belize

100 Returned Today, Complaints Of Crowd Chaos
posted (August 21, 2020)
And those numbers may go up, because 98 repatriates returned today, the largest number to return in a single day. And by the account of at least one traveller, it was a mess.

This repatriate sent us pictures and called the scene "Out of order" and disorganized. The traveller also pointed out, no social distancing was being done.

Today, Manzanero discussed the large number of repatriates and a change in the testing protocol:

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services
"2 other elements that we are looking at is the repatriation of Belizeans. We had close to 100 people coming back today. One of the key items that people are highlighting is how comes you are testing me, I'm negative and I'm still remaining in a quarantine area. So we are modifying that. If you recall back in May we were testing not upon arrival but at day 14. But we are finding out that people were positive and then their quarantine period was extended. So one of the changes we have made is that you will not be tested now upon arrival, you'll be tested 7 days after you have arrived. It's going to take in average 72 hours to process your results, so at around day 10-12 we should be making a determination to move people out of the quarantine area based on those results and again this is with evolving evidence that we have in terms of testing and other procedures."

Apparently, there was also some confusion with repatriates who weren't booked for quarantine in any hotel, and claimed not to have money for quarantine.

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