But if the vaccination numbers keep crawling while the number of new COVID cases are spiking, a lockdown may be in Belize City's future.
That's what the PM said today. He explained that for now, they will be implementing new regulations - like the time limit on the sale of alcohol and vaccinations for casino workers. But if things don't change, well, the residents of the city will soon be feeling the effects of the dreaded "L" word.
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"The Ministry of Health can do everything they possibly - put as many as doctors and nurses out there and testing, but if people do not do their part, if they do not act responsibly, this will continue to spread. When you have people lining up in back of their pick up trucks in front of those big stores in the city and buy beer by cases and sit down out there and drink, which is illegal, the stores should be sanctioned and the people drinking out there and when that kind of action continues, that's being irresponsible. When you continue to have parties at your home and inviting friends to come over, that's being irresponsible. When you have big wakes and repasses - this does not help."
"One of the decisions that we have made is starting midnight Sunday, no liquor will be allowed to be sold in stores from 6pm in the evening. You will only be able to go to a restaurant to buy food and can get a beer or a drink, because you are at a restaurant. I think restaurants now in Belize City will only be doing take out and 50% outside, but no eating inside."
"We have to take some of these drastic measures to be able to control the Covid. With the BPOs, we have met with them and they have agreed to limit to 50% of their employees to go to their actual work site and the other 50% can stay home and to work from home. They also agreed and ensure that those that go to the work site have to be vaccinated. With the casinos, we met with them already and said that all the employees must be vaccinated, no more than 50% and those that come in have to be vaccinated."
'We are doing more and more of this, but if Belize City do not try to help us in controlling it, we may have to go a lockdown. We don't want to go there. The doctors are telling us we have to do it, but we are trying to work with the community, because we know that a lockdown also have severe economic implications on people and we don't want to get there, but we are appealing to the people, please help us. We are spending millions of dollars in trying to protect you, but if you don't help to protect you, then what can we do."
