And, the late evening press release also makes it clear that the decision to delay the border opening has a lot to do with the planned return to in-class learning on 10th January 2022.
Again, today's release says that the delay in the border opening will allow for "the health system to prepare for the education system's return to hybrid learning."
But if Omicron starts to descend on Belize heavily the way it has in other countries - right the government also pull back on its decision to open for hybrid learning in January?
Today, the PM said there's no going back on that:
Reporter
"School is supposed to be reopening, but with those land borders also reopening, will Omicron affect school and if it does, how should parents feel at this point?"
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I wish I could tell you that Omicron will not come to Belize, it will come. Probably its already here and we don't know. When I was asked about Delta, I said the same thing, it will come. Most of our tourist are from the United States and Omicron has been found about 47-48 states already, so it's just a matter of time. Is now a matter of us being prepared. The first thing is that we need to get vaccinated and then secondly, to maintain the protocols and to be as careful as we possibly can."
"But coming to schools, the schools have to open. We cannot run away from not opening the schools. Our children are almost two years out of the classroom and we are doing a disservice to them and a disservice to the country because if they are not properly prepared, when they become adults, they will not be able to take over the helm of religion, of education, of business or governance, so we have to get back to school. I don't care what anybody has to say."
