And following the state visit to Mexico, more COVID-19 vaccines arrived from the Mexican government for Belizeans. This latest shipment of one hundred thousand is added to a previous shipment in June of the same amount. A representative of the Mexican government was in Belize for the handing over this weekend. Minister Michel Chebat says […]
If you have not gotten vaccinated and have been wondering how you will afford to take COVID tests so you can negative results at your work or to access public buildings? Well you will be relieved to know there are now two new testing centers that will be offering free tests. Yes, that is right, […]
Well-known B.D.F. soldier, Major Eric Neal passed away this morning at the Western Regional Hospital after two days of hospitalization. While the result of a PCR test is pending, within the past forty-eight hours two rapid tests have turned up negative. Neal experienced difficulty breathing on Wednesday and by today he was dead. News of […]
Neal’s wife and daughter lived on Price Barracks while the major worked out of Camp Belisario in the west as the Commander for the Echo Company within the Belize Defense Force. The trauma from his death is felt by his immediate family as well as his B.D.F. family and friends. Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel […]
Persons entering government building, including employees, must now present proof of immunization or a negative COVID19 test. Across Belize City today, visitors were being asked to present their vaccination cards. News Five’s Paul Lopez visited some of the more frequented Government offices to find out how the general public is responding to these regulations. Here […]
A new statutory instrument came into force earlier today to address the issue of mask wearing, as well as the second of two no-movement Sundays. As part of stricter measures put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19, the past two weeks have seen a seven o’clock curfew being implemented, as well as consecutive […]
Along with the new S.I. comes the implementation of a new policy where vaccination cards must be presented for entry into to public buildings and government offices. Persons who fail to produce a vaccination card must be able to present negative results from rapid or PCR COVID tests. Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police “In […]
Well, you heard it was coming and now it is official, the actual Statutory Instrument issued today. As October 1st anyone who needs to go to a public medical facility, government office or the office of a statutory body must show proof that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an upcoming date for […]
While it was expected that the COVID-19 pandemic might bring some families closer, Nicholas says that in some households it seems to have worsened the situation. Parents, who are not trained to be teachers, have been finding it difficult to keep their children focused while doing online classes, and then there is the situation of […]
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital officially confirmed today that Chandra Nisbet Cansino is going to take over as CEO. This morning on Open Your Eyes, she talked about the board’s plans for the facility and how these align with her own vision for management of the hospital. Among the long term plans are a new […]
With all the focus on the COVID Unit at the KHMH and the ability of district facilities to provide needed care during the pandemic, many of us seldom think about the challenges people in rural areas of Belize may be facing. But because access to healthcare services is a right that all Belizeans are afforded, […]
COVID-19 pandemic continues to grip the country as we are experiencing a third wave of the virus. On Tuesday, the frightening data was released; three hundred and fifty new cases were confirmed alone. And despite one hundred and ninety new recoveries recorded, the number of active cases is now at two thousand one hundred and […]
In terms of survivability, eighty-seven percent of positive cases since the beginning of the pandemic in Belize have recovered. The fatality rate is at two point zero one with four hundred and eight COVID-related deaths recorded so far. Even more frightening is that up to last Friday, thirty-seven deaths were already recorded for the month […]
Among those three deaths recorded on Tuesday was Nurse Bernadette Flowers Smith of the Belize River Valley. The much respected medical professional was in charge of the health center in Double Head Cabbage for over three decades. She died after being hospitalized for several days at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. “Miss Nurse,” as she […]
We are in week-two of additional measures put in place by government to curb the rising COVID-19 numbers. The benefits of these measures will not be seen for another few weeks, but is two weeks enough? Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa says that the longer the measures are in place, the better control of the spread. […]
There is some good news in the fight against COVID-19. Vaccinations are up. To date, one hundred and twenty-three thousand four hundred and seventy-five persons are fully vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccination report from the Ministry of Health and Wellness indicates that twenty-three thousand five hundred and fourteen children twelve to seventeen have been vaccinated. Almost […]
Attorney General Magali Marin-Young appeared on Open Your Eyes on Tuesday morning to discuss a number of issues, including new changes that are coming into force on October first, where additional COVID regulations are concerned. Among those changes are a requirement for individuals to present a vaccination card or a negative PCR or rapid test […]
Minister of State Christopher Coye also discussed how Belize will benefit in the long run from the funds that will be saved under the bond buy back. Christopher Coye, Minister of State, Finance “Unlike the private sector, the role of government is not to maximize profits or maximize shareholder wealth. It is to enhance […]
The Government of Belize is only a couple days away from enacting its October first vaccine regulations. Referred to as a soft mandate, persons entering public owned buildings, which include Government owned buildings, statutory bodies, social security and public health care facilities, must provide proof of vaccination. In the event you have not yet taken […]
There is one change to report. Minister of Health Michel Chebat has decided to scale back the reach of the regulations, reportedly after consultations. Viewers may recall that when he first made the announcement, live on Open Your Eyes two weeks ago, Minister Chebat said the mandate would apply to all buildings the public has […]
What about accessing public health care facilities in the event of an emergency, without being vaccinated or proof of a negative test? A.G. Young says persons facing a medical emergency will not be denied care. Magali Marin Young, Attorney General of Belize “And, please understand that, our legal drafts people are working right now […]
AG Young also discussed the legality of these new regulations. She affirmed that while the Constitution of Belize affords Belizeans certain fundamental rights, those rights are not absolute. Here is how she explained it. Magali Marin Young, Attorney General of Belize “We live in a society where we have to give and take to […]
The Belize Central Lab now has the capacity to detect COVID-19 variants. Before today, COVID samples were sent out to Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital to discover which COVID variants are in Belize. On Monday, two health practitioners returned from a two week training session on COVID sequencing. They now possess the […]
And in a post script to this story, as the Central Laboratory prepares to begin sequencing, the Association of Clinical Laboratory Science of Belize says it is disappointed with the Ministry of Health’s selection process for the training. A release from the Association says that one of the candidate selected is, quote, “not a public […]
The Belize City Council and Belize Waste Control reached an agreement last Friday after several weeks of a stalemate that resulted in residential garbage accumulating across Belize City. When City Hall, which was in significant arrears to the sanitation company, was unable to pay its bill, garbage began piling up at every street corner and […]
