~Busy season projected.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Labor Omar Ottley said on Wednesday that the 11 pm business closure will remain in effect for a bit longer as the amount of active COVID-19 cases is still high.
The Minister did not say when the business closure curfew will be lifted but promised that it will be sooner rather than later. Ottley stressed that the government is doing all that it can to reduce the number of active cases of coronavirus on St. Maarten and to keep its residents safe. He said that while the government is doing everything the onus remains on the people since they are the ones that would have to end the spread.
The Minister of Labor who is also responsible for health said that the upcoming tourism season looks promising and as such government is doing all that it would take to safeguard the season which would boost the economy on St. Maarten.
Ottley urged everyone to get vaccinated since it is the only way to stop the spread of the COVID-19. He said so far, it is mostly unvaccinated are getting infected with the COVID-19 and are being hospitalized and even loses their lives. The Minister said that the St. Maarten Medical Center has said over 96% of the patients hospitalized are unvaccinated, while 98% of those that died from the coronavirus are also unvaccinated.
