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Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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Reports reaching our newsroom are that seven immigration officers stationed at the Phillip Goldson International Airport have tested positive for COVID-19. The officers were reportedly sent home this morning.

LoveFM

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Covid Cluster Within Immigration Officers at PGIA

7News has learned that a number of Immigration officers assigned to the PGIA have tested positive for COVID 19. Reports tell us that 9 officers have tested positive for COVID 19 in the past week. Presently, the Department is bringing in officers from other entry points and border stations to man the booths at the Airport to maintain required personnel numbers. Presently, health authorities are investigating the possibility that the Immigration Dept. van - whose driver also tested positive - may have played a role in the spread. Reports suggest that 6 of the infected persons have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. Comprehensive testing is expected tomorrow at the airport.

In the last week, health authorities have had to close down one Belize City call center and an eatery have had to be closed because of a reported total of 15 positive cases that have been detected at those establishments.

Channel 7

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It was crazy at the airport today with only three available immigration officers on duty....

Joined: Nov 2002
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Originally Posted by Marty
It was crazy at the airport today with only three available immigration officers on duty....


I was there, tourists had to wait for more than 2 hours to get through immigration.
Not withstanding the chaos, all the airport staff were friendly, efficient and professional.


Live and let live
Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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All Staff Members At Philip Goldson International Airport Isolated

IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT STAFF AT THE PHILIP GOLDSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration informs that all staff members attached to the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport have been removed from active duty and will remain in isolation because several staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.

In an effort to have continuity of service, staff from the Immigration Department who have experience working at the airport are substituting.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration and the Ministry of Health & Wellness continue to monitor the situation. Further testing is being conducted as well as vaccination of all frontline staff countrywide.

The ministry continues to facilitate, within the laws of Belize, the travel of nationals and visitors. It is within the ministry's mandate to promote regular migration and contribute to the sustainable development of Belize while maintaining national security by enhancing border security.

Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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COVID-19 at P.G.I.A.; 12 Immigration Officers Quarantined

A dozen immigration officers attached to the Philip Goldson International Airport are in quarantine tonight after they tested positive over the weekend.� In a press release issued late this evening, the Ministry of Immigration says that its entire staff at the P.G.I.A. is in isolation following the positive cases among the team. To continue uninterrupted service, the ministry says, "�staff from the Immigration Department who have experience working at the airport are substituting." This evening, Minister of Health and Wellness Michel Chebat told the press more about this first cluster of COVID-19 cases at the airport.

Michel Chebat, Minister of Health & Wellness

"There are twelve of the seventeen immigration officers tested positive over the weekend at the P.G.I.A.� Since then, there has been an additional, I believe, it is a hundred and twenty-two persons who work at the P.G.I.A. have been tested and they are all negative so far."

Reporter

"Did health officials detect the index case and how did that person get infected?"

Michel Chebat

"No we don't yet have that information or I don't have that information yet."

Reporter

"But it is believed that the index case brought it to the P.G.I.A. or got infected there?"

Michel Chebat

"I don't know and I wouldn't want to speculate.�� It is still too new; these numbers just came about over the weekend so it is something we are still conducting contact tracing for the P.G.I.A. so it is still new and we are working on that.�� It is difficult to pinpoint because as you say there are many people passing through the airport so it would be more difficult to say who the index case would have been in that scenario."

Chebat noted that this is the first cluster of cases at a port of entry in Belize since the pandemic began over a year ago.

Channel 5


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Marty Offline OP
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Were Immigration Officers Vaccinated?

Minister Michel Chebat gave a lightning round interview that lasted all of 3 minutes. During the interview, he gave an update on the immigration officers who have been infected with the virus. He said it is unclear at this time whether the officers had been vaccinated or not.

According to our information, 6 of the officers were vaccinated, 4 of them with a single dose, two with a double dose.

Channel 7



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