After months of online and distance learning, schools slowly welcomed back students for phased in-person learning, at the permission of the Ministry of Education. Parents, education officials, and the general public alike all waited in anticipation to see how smoothly this would take place. Potentially one of the worst fears, however, has been realized when a few students at two schools this week and 1 school last week, in Belize City tested positive for COVID-19. Four students between the lower and upper division of Wesley Primary School as well as at least one teacher at Queen Square Anglican Primary School tested positive. One student tested positive on the 11th of May at Belize Elementary School. While other teachers and students have tested negative with their rapid tests, the results of their PCR tests are pending.
According to the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), the infected persons are all close contacts of persons infected with the disease at the Princess Casino. They were all identified through contact tracing, there is an ongoing exercise which seeks to isolate infected persons and to contain the spread of COVID-19.
For now, Wesley school remains opened while the Queen Square Anglican has suspended classes until May 25th. Belize Elementary is continuing with their schooling while reinforcing the Covid-19 protocols.
