In four more days, you'll be able to experience authentic Mexican tacos, load up on groceries at Chedraui, and maybe have a stroll down by the Bahia or watch a movie at Cinepolis. The borders will finally be reopened but, as you know, you'll need to be at least double vaxxed to cross.
And if you're planning on staying overnight, or if you are exhibiting symptoms upon your return, you'll be expected to take a test. But just like tourists, you'll be required to take that test at the border and Belize Diagnostic Center, the private company who was contracted to administer the test will facilitate it at an above market price cost!
And there is no "Belizean discount," you'll be paying the same as a tourist - $100 per test.
It's a steep price and Minister of Health, Kevin Bernard, said there will be no exceptions. So try not to spend all your money in Chetumal and reserve that blue note just in case:
Hon. Kevin Bernard - Minister of Health and Wellness
"I believe it's your choice if you want to go and travel. We are saying to you, if you want to go and travel over to Mexico or Guatemala, wherever you choose to go, that's your personal choice. The issue though, when you come back then you have to pay that fee. I think that's far from the point, the point is that we are now opening our borders but we have to have certain restrictions and it cannot be that we're just going to let loose everything we have to put some measures in place and just as you're coming in through the airport, our land borders will apply the same, I mean it has existed, just that now we will allow Belizeans to leave once they're vaccinated."
Courtney Menzies
"But the problem is, when you're coming in through airport, you can bring a test from anywhere, you can bring a test from your country, but when you're coming in through the land, whether you're a tourist or a Belizean, you have to get it done by Belize Diagnostic, and you have to pay that $100, you can't get it done in Mexico for a cheaper price, that's where the problem lies."
Hon. Kevin Bernard
"There's a lot of thing you have to consider when it comes to land, because I can travel through Mexico City, stop at Guadalajara, stop all over the place and I might stay one night at a hotel that's overcrowded, maybe have COVID infection, I might go to another town and come in and then when I reach Belize you are to be tested, we want to ensure the safety of our citizens, people that are coming in are free from COVID and if you tested positive, if you're a tourist and you test positive. You need to return to the country you came from."
Reporter
"What's the logic behind testing after a mere 24 hours when data shows that specifically Omicron variant detection doesn't come until after 3 days, the least?"
Hon. Kevin Bernard
"Well, I'm no doctor but I'm very sure Dr Melissa will be able to add to that comment. But I can tell you that once you do an overnight stay, then you will be required to test at the border."
Dr. Melissa Diaz - Deputy Director, Central Health Region
"Remember in health, we do surveillance, so the incubation period of this virus is anywhere from 1-14 days so you can be exposed and on day 13 you start with symptoms. Most commonly it's before 5 days and the reason we've done the 24 hours is that it's true surveillance. We're trying to pick up cases, we're not saying that you got it from Mexico, we're not saying that what you did over there, but we want to pick it up and isolate you early so that we can contain the spread in the country."
