Belize Airport closing 3/23

[TDiddy]

I was supposed to leave for Belize a week from today, but canceled the trip earlier this week. I thought it would just be too risky and irresponsible to travel. Looks like the decision would have been made for me regardless.

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Belmopan, Belize (20-MAR-2020)


Location: Belize


Event: The Department of State has issued a Global Level 4 Health Advisory for COVID-19.


The Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas. While there are still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Belize, the COVID-19 National Oversight Committee announced today additional border closings as outlined below.


The Philip Goldson International Airport will be closed effective Monday, March 23rd, after the last scheduled flight departs. Again, these measures only apply to the movement of people and do not apply to cargo trucks or cargo planes. U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. U.S. citizens who live abroad should avoid all international travel.

 

[maj2]

I left Belize on Saturday (March 21).
The airport was packed with people leaving the country.
We were at Belize Dive Haven, and they were shutting down for 45 days. Most of the staff were leaving the atoll at the same time that we were.

For our week there, we were the only 19 guests at the resort. With the resort being the only place on that island in the atoll, and being almost 1.5 hours by boat from the mainland of a country with no reported cases, it did feel like we were in one of the safest places on earth. Certainly safer than I feel back home, even during my required 14 days of self-isolation.