And, for San Pedranos, the appearance of Tropical Storm Nana means they just can't catch a break. This morning at a minute after midnight, the island was finally released from a 24 day lockdown which started on August 7th.
It was announced late last night that San Pedro would no longer be under special quarantine. The entire country now falls under the same State of Emergency provisions. That means a 9:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew, the closure of bars, nightclubs and rum-shops, as well as the usual social distancing and mask requirements.
So, after 24 days of no one coming unto or coming off the island, San Pedranos were free to move - and from our colleague Dion Vansen at the San Pedro Sun - we have video of the first boat out:
At about twenty to 12:00, this San Pedro Belize Express vessel throttled off towards the city; it was the first passenger loaded water taxi to leave San Pedro since August 7th,, but before they left everyone had to have their temperatures checked
And lining up for the boat meant a long queue for screening - and that's because checks have to be made to make sure they are not on the list of COVID infected persons:
Dr. Javier Canul, Medical Officer Surveillance Focal Point - SP
"We are here to ensure that we cross check the list to make sure that none of these people leave. When they get here the process at this moment is for them to get their temperature check before they purchase their ticket and then we go through the manifest and decide if everybody can board. We will be making sure that people that are sick with fever and respiratory symptoms, we are making sure that people under quarantine or are positive or people that are awaiting results that none of those people get on the boat. That a screening process that we are going through. We ask the boat company to alter their manifest to include vital information that will help us with contact tracing should one of these people come out positive. So that will include the destination address, their phone numbers and other things."
And, from San Pedro to Belize...the water taxi's arrived in the city around 1:00. There were no extra medical checks, nor any red tape:
Megan Hollan, Passenger - Caye Caulker
"The only thing that scares me is that they put Caye Caulker and San Pedro together and it's really scared, because you don't know who have what and then you don't know who you are sitting down beside of. So it's very scary."
And these San Pedranos moved though the terminal - free to go about their business. But when they head back to San Pedro, they may have to be checked:
Reporter
"When they come here, will they be screened or check again."
Dr. Javier Canul
"We are looking into it and the least we might do is temperature checks when they arrive here."
And just as life on the island was trying to get back to normal - and now the question is about the hurricane threat bearing down on Belize:
Megan Hollan, Passenger - Caye Caulker
"I was coming off because they say that the storm is coming and I don't want when it do come on Thursday we would can't do anything about it or can't go anywhere or the waves choppy and the boats cannot run. So I came in now because I feel like this is the best thing to do."
