And from crime to COVID, this morning a Carnival Cruise ship docked at the Belize City cruise port, like it has been doing every Wednesday for the past five weeks. But this time, Belizean tourism and health authorities had to be very vigilant. That's because this cruise ship was carrying 26 employees and one passenger who tested positive for COVID-19. And while those patients have been isolated on the ship and no additional cases found through contact tracing, the wider Belizean public was still concerned about tourists disembarking. Today, Courtney Menzies went to the tourist village to hear from the tourism stakeholders out there.
It's been over a month since the Carnival Cruise Line first docked in Belize after over a year of no cruise tourism. But the moment feared by many arrived this morning as the ship that docked today reported that 26 employees and 1 passenger have tested positive for COVID.
But the show must go on, and the other passengers were to disembark and participate in tours around the country. One operator said that while tourism is his bread and butter, he was very concerned about the tourists coming into Belize.
John Pollard, Tour Operator
"I believe that our authorities are on the ship doing what they should be doing, checking out who should be checking out, and people who comes on the outside, we are extremely careful in practicing the covid measures."
"I am concerned and everybody working out in the industry is concerned, for me myself I have gotten my two shots already but that doesn't say that I am prone from catching COVID, so yes, I am very concerned about those people coming in."
"We would hope that those people coming out, we should be safe with them, but my belief if there is this mess on the ship with 26, 28 personnel, and they are locked up in isolation, who knows how long this ship has been infected, this ship is every Wednesday for the past five weeks now, which is one month and one week, so who knows how deep the infection has been on the ship from last week until now."
And while he was happy that cruise tourism returned to the country, he must now take extra precaution to preserve his health and that of his family.
John Pollard, Tour Operator
"It was good move but at the same time, life matters. Me, myself, as a tour operator, we haven't been eating or should I say I haven't been eating from cruise ships for the past 16 months. Yes other people they're glad but at the same time, like I said, life matters, health comes first in that situation."
Courtney Menzies:
"So with that mentality, do you feel like this cruise ship should have docked today and that these people should have been allowed into the country?"
John Pollard, Tour Operator
"Well they are saying that these people are in quarantine, those who are affected, but like I said earlier, who knows how deep this infected might have been affected on the ship."
And even though Pollard agreed that tourism is the main mode that variants enter the country, he will continue to do what he must to put food on his table.
Courtney Menzies:
"Because you guys need to eat, because you need to make your money, you'll continue being out here with these tourists."
John Pollard, Tour Operator
"Yes we have to continue being out here and just practice the right thing while we're here. Nobody will like to take anything back home to their family and then there have people who refuses to take the vaccine, it is their choice to take the vaccine or not take the vaccine but at the same time the results is showing worldwide that personnel who are vaccinated are less risk going to the doctor than for those who refuse to take the vaccine."
Courtney Menzies:
"How do you deal with tourists who refuse to wear their mask or who don't want to abide by the regulations?"
John Pollard, Tour Operator
"Well I don't deal with them if they don't want to follow the protocol. So any tourists that comes out that door and comes out here, eh or she must wear his or her mask. This morning, I have my sanitization in my pocket, tourists comes along, we get a job, I spray everybody, they go to the vehicle with the tour guide taking it, the tour guide once more spray them getting into his vehicle, taking them onto the tour, bringing them back, spray them again coming out his vehicle, come this side back to me, spray them again before they enter back inside."
"They have been cooperating today, the tourists for the first time, to me, understands exactly what we're doing."
And we spoke to one tourist who explained that she wouldn't let the cases on the cruise ship interrupt her vacation. While she is concerned about catching COVID a second time, she is vaxxed, so now she wants to relax - while abiding to the protocols.
Dricka Brumsey, Tourist
"It's different because now you know we have to follow the protocol and we have to have our mask on, as long as we're sitting we can take our mask off, it's the same a little bit but just have the mask on a little bit."
Courtney Menzies:
"But were you concerned on this cruise ship when you heard that there were covid cases onboard?"
Dricka Brumsey, Tourist
"Yes, I was very concerned because just the simple fact where I came from, actually I had the COVID back in November, but now you know I took my two shots, I took the Pfizer, so once I took the Pfizer, I was told we could get it but not as bad but I took the Pfizer, I took both of my vaccines so I'm kinda keeping it safe, keeping my hands washed, keeping the distance you know."
Courtney Menzies:
"So how long ago when you found out about the first case on the ship?"
Dricka Brumsey, Tourist
"When we got on the ship, when we got on we heard about the first case."
Courtney Menzies:
"But you decided to still continue your vacation."
Dricka Brumsey, Tourist
"We still took a vacation yes, my friend, we doing everything possible. It's a beautiful place, it's different from the United States, it's an island, and it's relaxing so we love it here."
And a souvenir salesman who's shop is set up right in front of the tourist village said that he too needs the cruise ships to continue coming in to take care of his children.
William Bradley, Salesman, Tourist Village
"Of course I'm concerned because I have my kid in my establishment so that's a big concern of mine but these people have all the facilities to deal with that on that ship, I think they came from far, they know what they're doing, they're coming into a third world country, and they fully aware of what's going on so that's not my concern to say well you know they won't handle their business on that ship but I am so proud and so happy that they came because it's been almost two years that we haven't had anything in Belize and coming here every week and trying to give us a little support, that's a big plus for me."
According to a BTB release 99.98% of the Carnival crew and 96.5% of the passengers are vaccinated. Also, all the persons onboard who have tested positive are vaccinated; most are asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms. 400+ tests were done on Saturday, 300+ tests were done yesterday, and 200+ were done today. Additional protocols have been put in place, including increased mask-wearing indoors, and use of N95 masks by Crew. Crew social areas have been closed, and as early as the next departure, all guests will require a negative rapid test, regardless of whether they are vaccinated.
