Health authorities in San Pedro Town are no longer providing services at their auxiliary flu clinic at the Mar de Tumbo area, south of the island, as Belize has been COVID-19 clear for over a month. Persons with flu-like symptoms now need to visit the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II, where they will be evaluated and treated in a designated area away from other patients.
According to Dr. Javier Canul, flu patients are not treated inside the Polyclinic, but outside at a designated area. If anyone suspects they have symptoms of COVID-19, they are asked not to visit the Polyclinic, but to call the phone numbers 672-0911 or 671-0911. Health authorities will then arrange for an on-site evaluation.
The flu clinic, named San Pedro Care Center, was officially opened on March 30th, when Belize was dealing with its first three cases, two of which were in San Pedro. Designed to deal with flu-patients and potential COVID-19, the clinic has an isolation unit, a pharmacy, and a temporary isolation area. The temporary health center in the Mar de Tumbo area was made possible thanks to a joint effort by volunteers and members of the San Pedro Business sector, who worked together with local authorities. The clinic served during the week from 8AM to 5PM, and from 8AM to noon on weekends. The facility was always on standby for any emergencies related to COVID-19.
According to Dr. Canul, once active COVID-19 cases were reported as fully recovered across the country, and there were no new cases, the facility saw fewer patients daily. Thus, the decision was made to relocate the assigned medical staff back to the Polyclinic in downtown San Pedro. Dr. Canul indicated that the said facility at Mar de Tumbo remains ready to be utilized if needed. If the country sees a second wave of the deadly virus, they will re-open the flu clinic at Mar de Tumbo.
In the meantime, random testing is taking place on the island. Some of the persons swabbed for COVID-19 included those showing flu-like symptoms, along with public servants and front-line personnel. Currently, medical staff on the island are tasked to test around 15 public servants weekly.
