Test Before You Visit Vulnerable Loved Ones This Christmas

Melissa Diaz-Musa

We are only four days from the Christmas Day and everyone is ready to celebrate. But during yet another COVID-Christmas, the folks over at the Ministry of Health and Wellness are asking Belizeans to heed social distancing guidelines and to be safe during the extended weekend.  Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa implored people to continue being cautious, even to the extent of asking those you invite over to do a COVID test before their visit, especially if there are vulnerable people in your home.   

Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, Deputy Regional Health Manager, Central Health Region

“We’ve said from the beginning that this is not only a Ministry of Health and Wellness response; this is a country’s response and the individual as well need to take the responsibility. We do know that Christmas is approaching, there are many positive things like our cases have been coming down. But the important thing is that we need to ensure that nothing has changed with regards to the public health measures. The public health measures must be stressed. We need to ensure that there is always a reduction in transmission as best as possible. Wearing your masks properly, washing your hands – these things are very important – and social distancing. Now, if we are going to meet with family, the recommendation would be again to ensure that you try to be outdoors or keep the place very well ventilated, reduce the number of persons that you are actually going to socialise with or associate with. If you all live in the family, you will be obviously exposed to each other; you should try to keep that situation the same. Don’t have a lot of people from many different households over for the Christmas. And it is really important that we protect our vulnerable population. I know it is Christmas time; it is a time that we would want to see our parents or grandparents, but we’ve got to really think about it and think about if we do have symptoms, if we were exposed, this is the time that we do not visit our vulnerable population. So you could really and truly decide okay I am going to have Christmas lunch, but with the persons that I associate with, the persons that you know their behaviour. And you can also ask guests to get tested prior to coming to the house – you know close family and friends. Let them know if anybody in their household is waiting on a PCR test or anybody in their household is ill, don’t come to the function or to the luncheon or whatever you are having at your household and try to be outside.”