Proof of Vaccination No Longer Required to Travel Across Land Borders

Belizeans are no longer required to show proof of vaccination before exiting the country via its land borders. While there is no Statutory Instrument in place to enforce this amendment, the change is being imposed by way of an internal policy decision between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Immigration. The long-standing practice when amending the COVID-19 regulations has been to create an S.I which reflects the amendment. And, while Cabinet papers have already been drafted to this end, that S.I. will not be presented until after the next Cabinet meeting has been held. This is following the Prime Minister’s return to Belize. But, in the meantime Belizeans can rely on that internal policy decision to travel freely across land borders without proof of vaccination. Minister of Health and Wellness Kevin Bernard told us more.

Kevin Bernard

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness

“It has reached a level where it is now your responsibility to decided whether you want to get vaccinated or not. The country has to continue, and people have to continue. We are seeing around the world where restrictions have been lifted completely. When we were travelling to the states just last month, you had to take a test based on the U.S regulations. Belize had already lifted that regulation once you were vaccinated. But, going forward it is of the view that we remove all restrictions that currently exist. Those restrictions really were that if you are unvaccinated you cannot leave the country. But, and coming back in you are required to test. Based on the numbers that we have been seeing, and as I have said, zero to very low levels of hospitalization, the advice that we are getting is that we remove all restrictions and then allow people to move freely. We are going to Cabinet, whenever we resume Cabinet, I think in the next week or two whenever the Prime Minister comes back, there is a Cabinet paper already drafted with that position and recommendations that we remove all restrictions. I am saying that here it is not a decision that has been policy made by Cabinet, however, there is an internal policy decision that has been made between our Ministry and the Ministry of Immigration to allow for unvaccinated people to move across borders and upon return they most present a negative test.”

Reporter

“Is that irregular at all for a decision like that to be made outside of Cabinet?”

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness

“I don’t think it is irregular. It could have been done through a simple S.I. What we did was to ensure that both Ministries who have to deal with people moving across, and so we felt that it was time to do so. And so, an internal policy has been set out and instructions have been set that we allow unvaccinated people until we can get the full S.I and the entire amendment done within the next few weeks.”