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Thinking & A Timeline In Lieu of An April Newsletter

Apr 6, 2020|Ambergris Caye

It’s Hard to Write The Same Old Monthly Newsletter When the World has been Turned on Her Head in Less Than A Month

This is the time of month when I would sit down and put together my April Newsletter. A look back on the previous month…my most popular posts, my favorite pictures…and I’d look ahead. Fun events in April – Easter is one of the busiest long weekends of the year…with the island flooded with Belizeans from all over the country. And those moving forward.

(The March Newsletter)

Chocolate Festival in May, Mango Festival in June and the Lobster Festivals across the country.

But…now what? Easter has been canceled, said our Prime Minister, except for a time of quiet reflection and prayer. Caye Caulker announced that they would not hold their Lobster Festival at the end of June and…everything is now in a strange sort of limbo. THE MOST strange sort of limbo. Belize is in a National State of Emergency and we are all required to shelter at home unless on essential errands or business.

It’s a strange suspended reality where the weather is sunshiny perfection. We’ve had cloudless skies…not a drop of rain for the last few weeks. And we are not supposed to be outside.

The water is more clear than I’ve ever seen it.

No local boat traffic, no cruise ships and few pollutants leaching into the water from our densely packed island. (We can’t blame everything on the cruise ships, can we? At least 3/4 of the trash I’ve seen in my years here seems to be either Guatemalan, Mexico or from Belize.)

Here’s a brief recap/timeline of where we are in Belize when it comes to CoVid-19. As much for me as for you…I feel like my mind has turned to syrup in the last few weeks. The strange combination of over-stimulation and total non-use. Fight or flight? More like Spin or Nap.

For all official information and press announcements – it’s easiest/best to head to the GOB’s Press Office Facebook page.

March 18 – Nationwide school closures announced starting March 20th thru Easter break (at earliest)

March 23 – First Case of COVID-19 Announced in Belize – on Ambergris Caye, a Belizean returning from NY – State of Emergency Declared for Ambergris Caye only for 3 days, all businesses closed, no one entering or leaving the island – her mother, Case 2, is found to be positive a few days later and island-wide State of Emergency is extended for 30 days

March 25 – Cuban medical staff and supplies donated and sent by the Government of Cuba to Belize

March 25 – WestJet repatriation flight for Canadian citizens from Belize City to Toronto

March 26 – Gatherings on mainland Belize limited to 10 people

March 28– United repatriation flight for American citizens from Belize City to Houston

March 29 – Case #3 identified in Belize City, patient traveled from LA. Countrywide State of Emergency Announced

April 2 – National State of Emergency goes into effect; non-essential businesses closed, people told to stay in home.

April 3 – Case #4 found in Cayo District, a citizen who commuted to Belize City for work, did not travel outside country, Internal (district to district) travel is banned. Borders closed to all (including Belizean citizens) as of April 5th.

April 6 – 7 cases in total announced, 1 death (case #4). Almost 45,000 Belizeans file for CoVid unemployment benefits (remember this country only has about 350,000 people.)

We have heard no longer-term plan about tourism or re-opening – I don’t think that is something anyone can predict. For now, each new case is traced and mapped and our healthcare infrastructure is being beefed up.

I’ll get back to our foster puppies – 12 in all – and baking copious amounts of anything that can be baked. Today some banana bread and some AppleSauce Oatmeal Bread (this one came out deelicious.)

Miss Black, below, looks a bit like a Puggle.