San Ignacio/Santa Elena Officials Host COVID-19 Contingency Plan Session

Omar Figueroa

In San Pedro and Belize City, residents have generally been staying home and activities on the streets have slowed down as a result of the measures to prevent the spread of the virus.  Today, we checked in at the situation in the west. Local officials in San Ignacio/Santa Elena have met to discuss their contingency plan, should they experience an outbreak of COVID-19. The meeting was led by the Cayo North and Central area representatives and Mayor Earl Trapp. Freelancer Kent Pandy caught up with Minister Omar Figueroa following the meeting where he outlines what transpired.

Omar Figueroa, Area Representative, Cayo North

“A meeting was convened this morning here at the San Ignacio Santa Elena Town Board. We had some of the key leaders in our community present. We had the Mayor, Doctor Cuellar from San Ignacio Hospital, Minister Montero, a representative from NEMO. We basically had a discussion on how we can prepare in the eventuality that the COVID-19 should reach our twin towns. So, we had to stress the importance of trying to do whatever we can to prevent the virus from making it to our community. One of the key things that Dr. Cuellar stressed is social distancing. So, we want to encourage all the community folks here in San Ignacio, Santa Elena, Bullet Tree, to jus stay at home. The virus will only spread if humans transfer it from one place to another. The Ministry of Health, through Dr. Cuellar and NEMO, we all have a plan and structure in place in the eventuality that it reaches here. We will do whatever we can to ensure that it is contained and we will fight this. As a community, we need to be each other’s keepers and we need to stand together and if we do that, I think at the end of day with God’s blessings and guidance we will overcome.”