Belize’s Ministry of Health & Wellness announced stricter pandemic measures and restrictions on Thursday, as the country aims to contain COVID-19. The new measures will be in effect for three weeks from Saturday, until December 19. As such, a new Statutory Instrument came into effect on November 28, 2020 for the next 21 days. As of November 30, Belize reported 5,743 confirmed cases.
Highlighted COVID-19 Restrictions in Belize:
- A national curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 4:59 a.m.
- Open air, outdoor, or al fresco dining serves are limited to 50% capacity for dine-in and by reservation only.
- Indoor dining is suspended to be take-out/delivery only
- Public gatherings remain at a maximum of 10 persons.
- Face masks remain mandatory, except for children under six years old. Read the exceptions to wearing a face mask here.
- Social distancing remains the protocol in all public spaces, observed as six (6) feet apart.
- Gymnasiums, bars, rum shops, casinos, discotheques, and night clubs remain closed.
- Weddings cannot host more than ten persons other than the bride, bridegroom, official witnesses and the marriage officer.
- Places of worship are limited to ten persons, other than the person officiating the service and two auxiliary personnel.
It should be noted that these are only a few highlights of Belize’s Statutory Instrument No. 170; read the regulations in their entirety here.
What Travelers Need To Know
To visit Belize, all travelers must abide by three major entry requirements. Firstly, all visitors to Belize must book with a certified Gold Standard accommodation approved by the Belize Tourism Board; they can be identified by a seal of approval. At Belize’s reopening on October 1, the country introduced a “Tourism Safe Corridor,” a network of certified Tourism Gold Standard hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and attractions. Tourists today can explore freely outside its expanded corridor, although they must still use certified tour operators and overnight accommodations, but are recommended to use Gold Standard certified businesses.
Related: Where to get a PCR COVID-19 test for results within 72 hours of travel to Belize
Secondly, all travelers must download and register in the Belize Travel Health App. Once information is completed, take a screenshot of your unique QR code for reference on arrival in Belize. Lastly, all persons to Belize must test negative for COVID-19; whether by a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of travel or on arrival inside Belize’s international airport. Once in Belize, be sure to abide by its new layers of COVID-19 restrictions.
Feature photo of the Placencia sidewalk by Duarte Dellarole
