Understandably, one of the most common questions we get from prospective guests is what happens if you test positive for COVID-19 while vacationing in Belize? While we certainly hope that no one will test positive on their trip, it does happen. It’s best to be prepared and understand what the protocols are should your COVID-19 test come back positive before your trip home.
What Happens if a Victoria House Guest Tests Positive for COVID-19 While on a Belize Vacation?
If you test positive for COVID-19 during your stay at Victoria House Resort and Spa and cannot leave the country as scheduled, we will extend a 50% discount on most lodging at our resort, excluding Villas and Infinity Suites. As one of Belize’s first Gold Standard Certified resorts, we are well-equipped and trained to handle any guests who test positive during their stay.
Belize Ministry of Health Guidelines on COVID-19 Quarantine
In the unlikely event that someone tests positive in your group, the Belize Ministry of Health requires that you isolate at the resort for up to ten days. After a positive rapid test, you will be administered a PCR test to verify the positive result. Should the PCR test come back positive, you would need to isolate for ten days or until you receive a negative test result. On day five, you’ll be administered another rapid test. If that test is negative, you will be allowed to board an international flight to your home country.
If your test result on day five comes back positive again, you will need to continue isolation and retest on day ten.
Who Pays for the COVID-19 Tests During Quarantine?
COVID-19 tests, isolation accommodations, and all incidentals are at the traveler’s expense.
I Already Have Travel Insurance that Covers COVID-19 Testing, Do I Still Need to Pay?
Yes, you will need to pay for testing on a cash basis, which is paid directly to the lab or charged to your room. You will need to retain the receipt to submit for reimbursement through your travel insurance.
How Do We Get Food During Quarantine? Can We Go to the Grocery Store? Can We Have Other Restaurants Deliver Food?
We will do all the shopping for you, such as food, groceries, and medications. We will charge the expenses to your room account. It is against the “quarantine mandate” to leave your room or wander around anywhere or go shopping. Victoria House room service is also available until 9 PM daily. We will provide you with menus and you can place your order with the Front Desk through WhatsApp. You can also order from other restaurants in town. They will need to deliver to Front Desk and we will bring the food to your room.
If I Test Positive for COVID-19 and Quarantine at Victoria House, Can I Use the Resort Facilities or Walk on the Beach?
If you are quarantining, resort facilities will be off-limits. Depending on the number of guests at the resort, we may be able to allow you to use a section of the pool or beach; however, this is a case-by-case situation. To ensure you maintain distance from other resort guests and staff, we would escort you to a designated area on the beach. If you need anything while you’re on the beach, you can send a message to the Front Desk via WhatsApp.
What Happens if I Test Positive and Victoria House Has No Availability for Quarantine?
Fortunately, Victoria House maintains a specific quarantine room specially equipped for guests who test positive for COVID-19 in Belize. If there is a guest currently quarantined, and there are no other available rooms on property, we must assist you in finding an alternate quarantine location. We will make all the necessary arrangements to transport you as well. And, we will notify the Belize Ministry of Health of your new quarantine hotel.
What If I Test Positive and Want to Quarantine at a Different Resort?
You have the right to quarantine at another hotel, provided it meets the qualifications. We are required to report any change in lodging to the Ministry of Health.
What Happens If Some Family Members Do Not Test Positive? Can They Remain in the Same Room with Other Family Members?
Sometimes only one family member tests positives, which means other family members may be confused about what to do next. Your family members can remain in the room with you; however, they must also follow all the same quarantine procedures.
If Negative Family Members Remain in the Room, Do They Need to Test? Can They Depart the Room to Use the Resort Facilities?
All family members who remain in quarantine with you are automatically presumed positive. If they want to use the resort facilities, they will need to take tests to show they are negative and move to a different room at Victoria House.
What If I Develop More Severe Symptoms, Can I Leave to Seek Medical Treatment?
In the unfortunate event that someone develops more serious symptoms of COVID-19, we will contact the clinic for you. They will send a doctor to you and discuss what to do next. You cannot leave on your own to visit a clinic, medical assistance will come to you.
Testimonials from Victoria House Guests Who’ve Experienced the Quarantine Process Firsthand
We understand that even though we’ve tried to answer every question you might have, it’s always better to hear from people who’ve experienced it firsthand. Here are a couple of testimonials from guests who recently tested positive for COVID-19 in Belize and needed to remain here longer than intended.
Testimonial One
My name is Kelynn, and I am currently in quarantine at Victoria House after testing positive for COVID. My experience has been above and beyond anything I could have imagined, and I hope that you will be able to use parts or all of my experience to put future guests’ minds at ease about traveling during this time. I really could go on and on about the incredible kindness I have received from the staff here.
Testimonial Two
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Victoria House! My husband and I visited during our (belated) honeymoon, and we had an amazing time. We were picked up at the airport, our room was upgraded upon arrival, and the staff seemed genuinely happy for us to be there! Booking excursions and ordering room service are as easy as sending a WhatsApp message. The food from the restaurant was so good, with large portions that we couldn’t even finish! Water-based excursions like snorkeling and diving will pick up right from the on-site dock, not 200 yards from our room.
Another great bonus, the resort offers COVID testing on-site with a certified technician, before our trip home. We went to get tested the day before our flight, and before we left for a day of riding bikes to the beach and around town. My husband tested negative, but I was shocked when I tested positive! I was totally asymptomatic, vaccinated, and had been really good about wearing my mask around the property. Nonetheless, I was positive and we were told to head back to our room to quarantine. At first, the uncertainty of what to do was overwhelming, as well as thinking about the cost of extending my stay for up to 14 days.
However, the resort, as well as the entire Belizean health department eased our worry! We decided that my husband would return home as planned, while I quarantined here. We were offered a special rate on a quarantine room that would make my stay affordable, even if we didn’t have travel insurance. The staff helped me move my belongings into the quarantine room, and even offered to make a trip to the grocery store for me if I needed anything!
The next day, after my husband had left, I was told that I would be moving rooms again, to make my stay more comfortable, into a suite! The suite that I was moved into is amazing! This is certainly a luxurious quarantine situation that I am incredibly grateful for. Now I have a full kitchen, 4 large outdoor patios (including an outdoor shower), and a king bed! Staff also got together a stack of books, pens, and sketchbook paper for me to use! These accommodations are above and beyond any expectations I could have had. My husband and I have joked that he wishes he would have just stayed with me, and that he should have just pretended that he also tested positive.
I will be able to re-test on Tuesday, and hopefully be home that evening, however, I have to say that I will also immediately be looking forward to returning to Victoria House for a future vacation! While traveling during COVID has a few more steps and regulations, it is so comforting to know that there are kind and genuine people that will help you when plans don’t go accordingly. They have treated me (and us) so well that I would recommend this resort to anyone traveling to San Pedro!
Travelers to Purchase Mandatory Belize Travel Health Insurance Starting February 15, 2022
Note: Effective February 15, 2022, the Government of Belize is requiring all travelers to Belize purchase the Belize Travel Health Insurance. This mandatory insurance will help protect travelers against any incurred medical and non-medical expenses should you test positive during your Belize vacation. The cost is $18 US per person and coverage is valid for up to 21 days. For full details, see the Belize Tourism Board press release. The application to purchase the mandatory Belize travel insurance can be found here.
Please keep in mind that all COVID-19 policies and procedures are mandated by the Government of Belize. They are subject to change, with limited or no notice. We will continue to update this post and our COVID-19 policies page as new information is received.
