~ Disaster Pass Holders allowed to enter Supermarkets to shop.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Field testing for the COVID-19 is currently on hold as the test kits St. Maarten was expecting to arrive on Friday and Saturday did not arrive announced Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs on Saturday evening. Jacobs said that tests that are taken have to be sent to Guadeloupe for analysis. Jacobs said on Friday evening three new persons were hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center, these persons were tested because they have strong symptoms of the COVOID-19. Currently, there are four persons at SMMC, one of which is still critical, while one of the three admitted on Friday night is from Saba.
Training sessions took place on Saturday for all AMI personnel and volunteers. Some 29 medical professionals arrived on St Maarten for the past two days and they too were part of the training sessions.
Jacobs said as of Sunday all Disaster Pass Holders are allowed to enter supermarkets and shop for themselves, this she said is to lessen the amount of food distribution within the community.
Jacobs said that Monday some 1,500 boxes to be distributed, while supermarkets are doing their best to deliver as fast as they could. Jacobs called on the community to be patient with the delay but now taxi drivers, and postal workers and ESF 7 will be assisting with the deliveries.
Jacobs said arrangements are being made with the banks for the seniors to go to the banks to access their funds since they are on pension. Workers that were paid late will also get an opportunity to access their funds. Jacobs said some ATMs are active at the main branches.
People of St. Maarten, both here on St. Maarten and abroad, I hereby address you as Prime Minister and Chair of the EOC for today's update on April 11, 2020. As part of the process to keep the community of St. Maarten informed about the latest developments and government’s COVID-19 containment, mitigation and response measures.
COVID-19 Cases
As of today, April 11, 2020, I can update you on the COVID-19 cases.
Self- Quarantine: 136
- Self-Isolation: 194
- Number Tested: 134
- Number Positive: 50 (1 hospitalized)
- Male: 34
- Female: 16
- Number Negative: 82
- Number Pending: 4 (3 hospitalized)
- Inconclusive: 1
- Deceased: 9
- Recovered: 5
SMMC Training Sessions for AMI Healthcare Personnel & Volunteers
The requested personnel for St. Maarten consisting of 29 medical professionals arrived on the island on April 7th and 8th to assist SMMC with COVID-19 patients. I can announce that the training sessions for the 29 medical personnel from AMI Healthcare and the local medical volunteers are underway. The training sessions include refresher courses, crash courses for basic ICU care, CPSI training sessions carried out by SMMC’s ICT department and other essential training in order for these teams to provide the most efficient care possible. The AMI Healthcare personnel have all traveled from the US, prior to their arrival they all tested negative for COVID-19. Upon arrival to St. Maarten, they were swabbed again by HCLS and those tests also came back negative.
COVID-19 Admission Update
As of today, April 11, 2020, there have been 3 new COVID-19 related patients that have been admitted to the St. Maarten Medical Centre (SMMC). All three patients are not confirmed COVID-19 positive, however, they are highly suspected cases and one of the patients is from Saba. This brings the total to 4 COVID-19 related patients currently admitted to SMMC with three being stable and one in critical condition. Today ICU nurses from AMI will work with our staff in caring for these patients.
Food Distribution
Over the weekend, including today, the ESF7 team of social services, community development, community police, community leaders and volunteers have been distributing food packages in the different communities to those persons who are most vulnerable and have already been registered with social services. Please be patient as Social Services will also begin to distribute food packages to those who have registered via the social impact assessment form. The first batch of food distribution will be completed by Monday and later in the coming week, the second batch of food will be packaged and distributed.
Opening Times For Deliveries & Shopping Allowed For Disaster Pass Holders
Orders from the public must be submitted to the respective grocery stores between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Grocery stores, both large and small, will have the opportunity to deliver between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Between 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM, employees may work on packaging items for the deliveries of the following day. Each grocery store operator needs to ensure that a priority system is implemented to guarantee that priority is given to orders of the basic necessities. All purchases and orders should be on a strict need-basis only.
More grocery stores, including the smaller grocery stores operated by Chinese nationals, started as of today taking orders for persons living in their district. A list of the current grocery stores that are delivering may be found on the Facebook Page Government of Sint Maarten. As I allow for more options in order for persons to access food, public bus drivers and taxi drivers are being contacted to connect to a grocery store or supermarket in your neighborhood to assist in delivering food orders. This cooperation can also serve as another way for the grocery stores and the locals in the community to help each other during this time in the same manner.
I’d like to announce that persons with a disaster pass and essential workers are now allowed to carry-out their grocery shopping at the supermarkets opened as of tomorrow, April 12, 2020, however, these persons must adhere to hygiene requirements such as wearing a mask and sanitizing your hand when entering and leaving the store. This decision will allow for less orders to be made to the grocery stores and therefore, will result in quicker turn-around time for orders that are being delivered. I kindly ask the public, not to order from more than one supermarket as this is causing confusion. Arrangements are being made for key persons within the community to assist with deliveries from neighborhood grocery stores and will be required to wear a mask. These persons will also have access to gas stations to facilitate deliveries within their respective neighborhoods. Grocery stores, as well as consumers, are also strictly forbidden to sell or purchase alcohol during the remainder of the lockdown. In order to ensure that persons remain in their neighborhoods, there will be a heightened police presence at round-a-bouts.
Follow our Government Radio station – 107.9FM. For official information, statements and news updates or visit the Government website at www.sintmaartengov.org/coronavirus and our Facebook Page: Government of Sint Maarten.
In closing, I’d like to thank all those essential workers who are working tirelessly including ESFs 1 to 10 for all that you are doing. I must commend and say thanks to all those businesses that are practicing social responsibility and I encourage other businesses in the community to do the same as we all have a role to play. I urge and encourage the people to show that we are a strong, united and powerful people and country, and we will overcome this challenge. Thank you to the people of St. Maarten. Thank you to all our front-liners. May God continue to bless each and every person on St. Maarten.
