BELIZE CITY, Sun. Aug. 17, 2020– Adjustments to the COVID-19 Emergency Regulations were announced by Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte on Saturday night. A nationwide curfew came into effect on Sunday, August 16, to limit the movement of persons in hopes of containing the intensifying wave of the coronavirus in Belize.
These new regulations will affect the entire country, except for the four areas which are currently under total lockdown — Ambergis Caye, Santa Martha, Shipyard and Guinea Grass.
Two sets of curfew times are in place. From Sunday to Thursday, adults must be indoors by 8:00 p.m. and are not allowed to be in any public place until 5:00 a.m. the following morning.
On Fridays and Saturdays, the curfew for adults will last from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Curfew hours for minors will be from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., from Sunday to Thursday, and from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Minors must be with parents or guardians during the daytime in public.
Persons exercising must practice social distancing at all times, and professional cyclists must ride in single file, also 6 feet apart. The regulations limit social gatherings to no more than 10 persons, and it has been ordered that all bars, rum shops, clubs, and casinos be closed.
Competitive sporting and contact sports will also be affected. Only 3-on-3 volleyball will be allowed. Also, all persons riding bicycles or motorcycles must now wear a face mask.
Business places are directed to close no later than 7:00 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday, and by 9:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Face masks must be used at all times in public or private places, and must cover the mouth and nose.
Children under the age of 6, persons in a private residence, those exercising, and families or individuals who are driving or eating at restaurants are not required to wear a mask.
Business owners are restricted from allowing persons to enter their establishment without a face mask. Those businesses which are allowed to operate must also enforce social distancing protocols if the space of the establishment is large enough for this to be done.
Establishments must determine the number of persons permitted inside by calculating the square footage of the office space and setting 6-foot markers.
Persons using public transportation and their operators must wear masks for the full duration of the travel. The protocol for sanitizing buses and passengers are still in place and must be adhered to.
The Attorney General urged citizens to comply with the updated regulations in order to control the current spike in the spread of the virus, and prevent another total lockdown of the country.
These regulations will be in place for the next three weeks or so, according to the Attorney General.