Issue 45 | 21 Mar, 2020
#ContainCOVID-19
Saint Lucia’s National Response 1
Together,
#ContainCOVID-19 Our National Response
We Can Win 07 This Battle! T
TESTING AND DIAGNOSIS FOR CORONAVIRUS
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Information from Saint Lucia’s Chief Medical Officer 03
Statement from the Minister of Health Hon. Mary Isaac
04-05 Testing & Diagnosis for Coronavirus
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Protect Yourself and Others From Getting Sick
07-09 #ContainCOVID-19-Our National Response 10-11
Testing and Diagnosis for Coronavirus
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Saint Lucia Announces Closure Of All Educational Institutions
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Information from Saint Lucia’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar George
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he 2020 theme for Independence celebrations in February was a call to action - “Now is the Time, Let’s Do This Together”. And there is no better time than NOW to continue to put this theme into action as Saint Lucia joins the rest of the world in trying to stave off the ravages of the Novel Corona Virus - Covid -19. The Government of Saint Lucia has declared “war” on the virus and has been doing all within its power to limit the inevitable impact that this will have on all sectors and at all levels of our society. It is a battle that we must all join in, armed with the correct information and not rumours, fake news or propaganda. And as in any battle we must also protect ourselves, and our families by following the correct protocols and health guidelines. This is not a time to panic, or to be divided. Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet this week said; “even in the midst of our fears, we can’t lose our compassion and we must act sensibly and with due attention to be our neighbor’s keeper”. Further, that if this virus has taught us anything else, it has taught about the obligation we have to care and protect each other. It is in so doing that we shall overcome any threat that COVID-19 could potentially pose to us as a country. As a prayerful nation, we continue to lift our voices and bend our heads in prayer”. In this issue of Our Saint Lucia we offer as much information as possible on Saint Lucia’s preparation efforts – a national response in containing COVID-19. Editor – Toni Nicholas #FightingCovid19 #ContainCOVID-19
Statement from the Minister of Health Hon. Mary Isaac
on Corona Virus Diseases (COVID-19)
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OVID-19 is a Corona Virus characterized with fever, cough and chills. About 80-81% of cases are mild, 14% severe and 4% critical. The fatality rate ranges from 2.1% to 2.9%. The majority of cases which complicate have comorbid conditions which include renal disease, heart failure, lung disease and cancer. This has since resulted in the World Health Organization Director-General under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on Thursday January 30, 2020. There has been confirmation of COVID-19 cases in several countries of the Caribbean including Saint Lucia. Due to the increasing spread of the virus the risk to our region has been escalated from low to medium, and now to high. The Department of Health and Wellness receives regional support to guide preparedness plans. We are also in regular consultations with PAHO/WHO, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and CDC, including regular reviews of the regional and international guidelines. CARICOM has been facilitating forums to discuss urgent concerns among heads of state. The Chief Medical Officers, National Epidemiologists, Laboratory Directors and other Health care workers attend regular virtual meetings. The Hon. Prime Minister activated NEMAC on Friday February 28, 2020 to raise the alert and level of preparedness. The National COVID-19 Plans have been finalized including the Risk communication plan. Protocols have been adapted and shared with the relevant sectors.
On Sunday March 1, 2020, the Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet with the Chief Medical Officer- Dr. Sharon BelmarGeorge and Chief Environmental Health Officer- Mr. Parker Ragnanan attended the Special Meeting of CARICOM in Barbados, which was convened to discuss the threat of COVID-19 to the region. I wish to take this opportunity to remind everyone that we must only deal with the facts and the truth, so as not to create unnecessary panic among our people. Corona Virus is a serious concern, and when we act, we must ensure that we are doing so based on fact and in the best interest of the protection of our people.
Health care facility preparation is ongoing and
Healthcare workers are continuously trained and medical protocol including infection prevention and control, as well as Clinical treatment guidelines have been shared with all institutions. Isolation and quarantine facilities have been identified, medication and equipment has been procured to manage the expected increases in respiratory cases. The equipment to facilitate testing for COVID-19 has been procured and is now on island.
Sensitization of Non-Health care workers is ongoing This includes, but not limited to Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Authority, St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association, St. Lucia Air and Sea Port Authority, Chamber of Commerce, Police, the transportation sector including mini-bus operators and Taxi Association.
The Port Health services have been enhanced. Assessments have been done at all port facilities for the core capacities. Public Health training for border control officers has been done at all ports. The screening and surveillance of incoming passengers has also been enhanced. The collaboration between other agencies including Customs, Immigration and vessel agents has allowed information sharing and timely decision making. Personal Protective Equipment has been provided to border control agencies. Appropriate technologies have been employed to enhance surveillance of incoming passengers to Saint Lucia. A communication plan has been developed. This prioritises awareness building and education on COVID-19 to reduce myths, misconceptions and miscommunication on the virus. The plan promotes health behaviours that reduce risk of exposure and infection, and provides status updates on preparedness of stakeholders and agencies engaged in the national COVID-19 response. Extensive planning costing in excess of one million dollars, is ongoing for persons tested positive for COVID-19 and in – country transmission. This includes, but is not limited to the setup of community respiratory clinics at 5 specific locations for ambulatory care, and the expedited move of the Victoria Hospital to the OKEU hospital, to facilitate the transformation of Victoria Hospital to a Respiratory Hospital. The implementation of COVID-19 treatment teams for care is also being organized.
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Statement on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) by Prime Minister Honourable Allen Chastanet on 16th March 2020
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know that the past few weeks have been filled with fear and anxiety for many of you but I start by asking everyone to pause and take a deep breath, just for a moment. As confirmed by the Ministry of Health, over the past few days Saint Lucia now has imported cases of COVID-19, also known as coronavirus. Our team at the Ministry of Health has been hard at work doing testing, contact tracing, and quarantine where necessary. Since the start of the spread of the virus in China, the nation led by Ministry of Health and Wellness has been taking steps to prepare for and respond for the likelihood of the virus being introduced into our country. Due to the novelty of the COVID-19 Virus, Saint Lucia continues to be guided by the advice and protocols of the World Health Organization and other international agencies. We also continue to have regular dialogue with our CARICOM
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colleagues in order to develop a harmonized strategy for the region. From the start of the outbreak, the Ministry of Health officials, the Minister of Health, the Chief Medical Officer and I have been in constant engagement with representatives from the Pan American Health Organization, CARICOM, OECS and CARPHA. As the virus started to spread to the Caribbean, meetings with various agencies and stakeholders have been held to share information, to allay concerns and to obtain feedback. To date we have had meetings and consultations with all key stakeholders including public and private sector agencies, civil society and unions.
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On the economic front: •
The following specific measures have been initiated: •
As early as January 31, 2020 we activated the National Health security Committee to develop the national response plan,
We undertook assessment of the capacities at the ports and health facilities and other relevant facilities to determine the capacity to respond and identify resource gaps. We undertook Training and procurement of resources Since February 4, 2020 Saint Lucia imposed its first travel restriction on persons travelling from China and three weeks later extended to include Japan, Republic of Korea, Italy and Singapore The Ministry of Health through the Bureau of Health Education commenced a public awareness and education campaign.
I have had day and night sessions with the Finance team on the economic impact and efforts we can make to cushion the blow. We have rescheduled the annual Budget exercise as we continue to monitor developments worldwide and we
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continue to dialogue with the Central Bank, the World Bank, the CDB and the IMF. This virus continues to have untold economic impact globally and in particular St Lucia, as we received recent indication of the impending closure of three major hotels.
The impact of the corona virus should be treated as an imminent disaster like a hurricane, therefore on February 28, 2020, I activated the National Emergency Management Advisory Committee (NEMAC), which is the implementing agency in times of national disaster. Since the crisis began, there has been remarkable cooperation and collaboration at all levels of the society. I am thankful to the Leader of the Opposition and the Members of both houses of Parliament for their participation and support in our efforts. Our doctors, nurses and other health personnel, Air and Sea Ports personnel, firemen and women, the police have been going beyond the call of duty. They work longer hours than usual, sacrificing time away from family and loved ones. I have met many of them in recent days and my government remains committed to ensure that we do everything to support, protect and resource all our frontline professionals.
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• They all deserve our support, cooperation and commendation. I have the ultimate confidence in our health team, led by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar-George who has been liaising with me and my Cabinet at every turn. I also wish to congratulate the Minister of Health, Sen Hon Mary Isaac for her sterling leadership I take this opportunity to commend her and her staff on their dedication, commitment and competence. Together, we have been coordinating and building the medical and health infrastructure that we anticipate will be required. As of today, 16th March, 2020, we have assessed the information received and arrived at the following specific immediate decisions to protect the health and security of our nation.
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All schools are to remain closed and all related school activities are suspended until further notice. This is a first step in the social distancing protocol and should not be treated as a regular school vacation. The Ministry of Education is collaborating with our telecommunications service providers and will advise of alternative means of delivery of educational instructions to students. Mass crowd events of more than 50 persons is being discouraged. As a first step the Jazz festival has been cancelled and a meeting with the stakeholders of the cultural and creative industries will be held tomorrow to discuss the way forward for carnival and other events. A further announcement on the implementation of this measure across all sectors will be made We have suspended all cruise ship calls from Monday March 16, 2020 for the next 30 days. All yachting and pleasure craft calls into saint Lucia will be suspended with immediate effect. Effective March 17, 2020, the travel restrictions will be further expanded to Mainland France, Germany, Spain, Iran and the United Kingdom. We have also strengthened our protocols for screening visitors arriving at both the air and sea ports. As of March 16, 2020, The Ministry of Health activated three respiratory clinics at the Vieux Fort Wellness Center, the Dennery Hospital and the Gros Islet Polyclinic. An additional two clinics will be activated in the coming days to be located at the La Clery Wellness Centre and the Soufriere Hospital. These clinics are intended to take care of persons who have respiratory infections. A hotline will be operational by the end of this week using the “311” number where citizens will be able to get information on COVID-19. Mobile telephones will be made available from this week to physicians to provide medical advice via telephone consultation to persons with medical concerns with COVID-19. Further information will be provided during the course of this week.
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The Government of Saint Lucia has reached out to friendly governments such as Taiwan, Cuba and India to provide technical support as we strengthen our ability to manage this virus. I am pleased to note that Testing kits for the coronavirus have arrived on island and staff are currently undergoing training with a testing lab to be set up later this week. This will substantially reduce our waiting time for results from 24 hours to approximately 2-4 hours. There is no doubt that confronting this virus will test our resources – medical and economic and it will also have a psychological effect. We are now heading to higher alert levels and if we do begin to see cases in the community, we will have to review our decisions and move to more stringent measures.
Dealing with the challenges that this virus will pose, will require constant review, adjustments and change. I will be providing regular updates to the nation as we go along. It is easy in uncertain times to fall prey to scaremongering. Be assured that the information disseminated by the Ministry of Health will continue to be regular and updated based on the World Health Organization and CARPHA guidelines. Even in the midst of our fears, we can’t lose our compassion and we must act sensibly and with due attention to be our neighbor’s keeper. If this virus has taught us anything else, it has taught about the obligation we have to care and protect each other. It is in so doing that we shall overcome any threat that COVID-19 could potentially pose to us as a country. As a prayerful nation, we continue to lift our voices and bend our heads in prayer. In the coming days, we will announce a National Day of Prayer to call upon God’s mercy. Taking into consideration the protocol on social distancing, it will not be a physical gathering but we will ask for everyone’s participation. May God bless you all and keep you safe and may God continue to bless our Saint Lucia.
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#ContainCOVID – 19 –
OUR NATIONAL RESPONSE O
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n December 31, 2019, Chinese authorities led an epidemiological investigation to determine the etiology of reported cases of pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. This led to the discovery of a new strain of Corona Virus Disease COVID-19. COVID-19 is a Corona Virus characterized with fever, cough and chills. About 8081% of cases are mild, 14% severe and 4% critical. The fatality rate ranges from 2.1% to 2.9%. The majority of cases which complicate have comorbid conditions which include renal disease, heart failure, lung disease and cancer. This has since resulted in the World Health Organization Director-General under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus COVID-19 in the People’s Republic of China, as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on Thursday January 30, 2020.
Photo: Nemac meeting 3
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January 31, 2020 - the National Health Security Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary was activated to develop the national response plan. This committee met weekly to discuss progress in preparation and to address gaps in our systems and processes.
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Tuesday February 4, 2020 - In an effort to reduce importation of cases, travel restrictions have been placed on persons who visited Mainland China (in the last 14 days as of Tuesday February 4, 2020).
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February 26, 2020 – travel restrictions placed on persons who had visited Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Japan, Italy and Singapore. Non- essential travel to these areas discouraged.
Since then the Government of Saint Lucia, led by Prime Minister Allen Chastanet has been engaging in a national response. This response has been led by the Ministry of Health and the Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar-George. Our National Response is also in line with the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency CARPHA.
Timeline of Saint Lucia’s Response following the January 30, 2020 pronouncement by the WHO
February 28, 2020 - The Hon. Prime Minister Allen Chastanet activated NEMAC (National Emergency Management Advisory Committee) to raise the alert and level of preparedness. The National COVID-19 Plans had been finalized including the Risk communication plan. Protocols had been adapted and shared with the relevant sectors.
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March 1, 2020, the Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet with the Chief Medical Officer- Dr. Sharon BelmarGeorge and Chief Environmental Health Officer- Mr. Parker Ragnanan, attended the Special Meeting of CARICOM, which was convened to discuss the threat of COVID-19 to the region. This meeting was held in Barbados under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Hon. Mia Amor Mottley and also included the participation of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) along with executives from the Cruise industry which included Mr. Arnold Donald, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carnival
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Continued Corporation, Mr. Gianni Onorato, Chief Executive Officer of MSC Cruises and Ms. Michele Paige, President of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association.
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March 11 – Minister of Health and Wellness Hon. Mary Isaac addresses Parliament on COVID-19.
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March 11, 2020 - Equipment to test for the deadly coronavirus has arrived in Saint Lucia, the island’s Chief Medical Officer, Sharon BelmarGeorge, revealed. Agents would arrive days later she said to facilitate the training on the use of the machine and the testing of the virus.
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March 13, 2020 - The Bureau of Health Education and the Ministry of Health and Wellness held a media sensitization workshop. This followed on the heels of several other meetings and sensitization for other sectors.
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March 13, 2020 – Saint Lucia reports its first case of COVID -19- At a press conference Dr. Sharon BelmarGeorge informed the nation that a 63 year old non- national who arrived here from the United Kingdom on March 7 via Grenada, had presented herself for testing four days later and samples sent to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). The results were returned on Friday March 13 as positive.
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March 14, 2020 – On Saturday March 14 a second individual was tested positive. The Department of Health and Wellness said the patient is a 53-year-old male with an active travel history, with France being his last port of departure had arrived here on March 11.
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March 14, 2020 – Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet held an Emergency Cabinet meeting.
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March 15, 2020 – Prime Minister Hon. Allen Chastanet held a meeting with major stakeholders. A number of representatives made presentations on behalf of their members. They include the Saint Lucia Medical Dental Association’s (SLMDA) Dr. Merle Clarke, Saint Lucia’s Employers Federation represented by Ms. Tecla Fitz Lewis, The National Workers Union (NWU) Ms. Solace Myers, The Carnival Bands Association’s (CBA) Adrian Augier and the SLHTA just to name a few. The Prime Minister also thanked the Opposition for participating in the essential discussions.
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March 16, 2020 - Cabinet agreed with a request from the Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relation on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, that in an effort to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and reduce the potential for transmission, ALL educational institutions on island will be closed from Monday 16th March 2020 until 13th April 2020.
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March 16, 2020 – Another NEMAC meeting was convened to update all stakeholders.
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March 16, 2020 – Prime Minister Allen Chastanet addresses the nation. “Even in the midst of our fears, we can’t lose our compassion and we must act sensibly and with due attention to be our neighbor’s keeper. If this virus has taught us anything else, it has taught about the obligation we have to care and protect each other. It is in so doing that we shall overcome any threat that COVID-19 could potentially pose to us as a country. As a prayerful nation, we continue to lift our voices and bend our heads in prayer. In
the coming days, we will announce a National Day of Prayer to call upon God’s mercy. Taking into consideration the protocol on social distancing, it will not be a physical gathering but we will ask for everyone’s participation,” the Prime Minister says.
• March 20, 2020 – As of 6PM Friday March 20th, a decision was taken to call on all religious leaders and churches to cease from hosting activities, mass, payer meetings, until further notice. • March 23, 2020 Testing for COVID-19 is expected to be available during the week of March 23 •
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March 16, 2020 – All ports closed to Cruise vessels. These will not be allowed to berth into our ports.
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March 17, 2020 - Travel restrictions extended on persons with a travel history within the last 14 days to include Spain, Mainland France, Germany and Iran and the United Kingdom. Persons who travel from the United States within the last 14 days who develop respiratory signs and symptoms will be isolated and tested for COVID-19. Any national returning to Saint Lucia with a travel history to any countries restricted above will be quarantined for 14 days. The Department of Health and Wellness also discourages all non-essential travel to the places listed above. • March 17, 2020 – Mass Crowd events banned. The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force wishes to inform the general public that with immediate effect, NO mass crowd events or other social gatherings, will be approved by the Office of the Commissioner of Police, or any other designated authority. Permission for all previously approved activities is hereby revoked, in keeping with the guidelines set out for mitigating the spread of COVID19.
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March 19, 2020- National Day of Prayer - The Government of Saint Lucia designated Thursday 19th March 2020 as a National Day of Prayer. In this time of crisis, the Government is calling on everyone to come together in prayer. We continue to lift our voices and bend our heads in prayer.
March 25-27, 2020-Transition from Victoria Hospital to OKEU Hospital.
The Government of Saint Lucia will continue working to strengthen the local capacities against this global threat. Agencies and governmental organizations have already been mobilized to do the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Create the COVID-19 Coordination Committee Activate the National Health Security Committee Enhancement of Port Health Services Active Surveillance at high risk institutions (ports, hotels) Establishment of Diagnostic Capacity – CARPHA (24 – 28 hours) 6. Health Care Facility Preparation 7. Risk Communication Plan and Health Education 8. Training of Health care workers 9. Creation and Management of Isolation and Quarantine Sites 10. Distribution of Protocols to relevant Sectors 11. Promotion of General Hygiene measures and Infection Control for border agencies, health care personnel and the general public. •
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Saint Lucia undertook assessment of the capacities at the ports and health facilities and other relevant facilities to determine the capacity to respond and identify resource gaps. We undertook Training and procurement of resources The Ministry of Health through the Bureau of Health Education commenced a public awareness and education campaign.
On the economic front: •
The Prime Minister has had day and night sessions with the Finance team on the economic impact and efforts we can make to cushion the blow. We have rescheduled the annual Budget exercise as we continue to monitor developments worldwide and we continue to dialogue with the Central Bank, the World Bank, the CDB and the IMF.
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TESTING AND DIAGNOSIS FOR CORONAVIRUS WILL BE DONE ON ISLAND, FOLLOWING REQUIRED TRAINING
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he nation’s ability to diagnose COVID-19 cases will be enhanced as the Ezra Long Laboratory of the Victoria Hospital, and the Owen King EU Hospital recently received the equipment for testing of COVID-19. Director of the Ezra Long Laboratory Dr. Wayne Felicien said he is very pleased with the equipment for testing of COVID-19 and highlighted the benefits of this equipment for Saint Lucians. “We purchased the Q32 as a form of increasing our diagnostic capacity for COVID-19. What we realize is that from the time of collecting the sample to the time of getting the results is between 24 to 48 hours since we have been using CARPHA in Trinidad to give us our diagnosis. What we have actually done is purchase this equipment to reduce our turnaround time to a 3 to 4 hour period which would improve our ability to treat and see through which patients are positive for COVID-19.”
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Dr. Felicien also spoke on the efforts of the Department of Health to ensure that the capability to conduct testing and diagnosis of COVID-19 is available at the soonest. “We forecast that we will have testing capabilities within the next two weeks. We are actually in dialogue with our suppliers, Caribbean Diagnostics who are now going to send someone on island to conduct training, installation and validation which will last a period of five to seven days and by then we should be able to have the capabilities.” Testing for COVID-19 is expected to be available during the week of March 23.
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS ISSUES GUIDELINES FOR PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK OF COVID-19.
Given that a possible outbreak of COVID-19 is of significant concern to people with underlying health conditions, the Department of Health and Wellness makes it a priority to provide guidance on how a person can protect him/herself. Health Educator of the Bureau of Health Education, Nadiege Smith-Lambert, spoke on the necessary actions those vulnerable persons to COVID-19 should take in order to reduce their risk of getting sick with the disease. “Some examples of chronic medical conditions are heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, asthma. Some of the tips we would like for persons to follow are: 1. 2. 3.
Ensure you have at least one month supply of your medication contact your health care provider to ask about obtaining extra necessary medication. We would like persons to get the recommended eight hours of sleep to be able to build their immunity
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Eat fruits, vegetables and a balanced meal Stay hydrated Wash your hands often with water and soap and avoid touching your face with uncleaned hands.
Smith-Lambert also called on people who are at higher risk of COVID-19 to consider social distancing as a means of reducing interaction with others who are sick. “During COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay home as much as possible to further reduce your risk of being exposed. Avoid crowds as much as possible, have enough households items and groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay at home for a period. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.� The Department of Health and Wellness once again encourages Saint Lucians who have serious chronic medical conditions to take the necessary precautions to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.
Suspension of outpatient clinics at Owen King EU Hospital The public is hereby informed that all outpatient clinics at the EU Hospital during the week of Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 20, 2020 have been rescheduled to a later date. Every effort was made to contact patients. Patients who have not received their new clinic dates are asked to contact the admissions department of Victoria Hospital at 758.456.8215 for the rescheduled dates. The Department of Health and Wellness apologizes for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Saint Lucia Extends Travel Restrictions on Travellersand Prohibits Entry of Cruise Vessels In an effort to restrict the likelihood of introduction of COVID-19 into the Saint Lucian population, the Department of Health and Wellness on February 4, 2020 put in place travel restrictions on nonnationals with a travel history within the last 14 days from Mainland China, (whether in- transit or originating).
Personal Tax Filing Deadline Extended
Japan, Italy and Singapore effective Wednesday, February 26 at 12 a.m. We note an escalation in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 cases internationally as well as the spread to 122 countries outside of China, including the Caribbean region. As such, we extend the travel restrictions of persons with a travel history within the last 14 days to include Spain, Mainland France, Germany and Iran and the United Kingdom effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 12 a.m. The Government of Saint Lucia is working with the authorities from Martinique in defining the terms of the commute between the two countries. Persons who travel from the United States within the last 14 days who develop respiratory signs and symptoms will be isolated and tested for COVID-19. Any national returning to Saint Lucia with a travel history to any countries restricted above will be quarantined for 14 days. The Department of Health and Wellness also discourages all non-essential travel to the places listed above. Also, effective Monday, March16, 2020 cruise vessels will not be allowed to berth into our ports. The Government of Saint Lucia will continue working to strengthen the local capacities against this global threat. For more information, please contact the Office of the Chief Medical Officer or the Epidemiology Unit, at 468-5309/468-5317 respectively
The Inland Revenue Department wishes to advise that the deadline date for filing Personal Income Tax Returns (for individuals and individual enterprises) for income year 2019 has been extended to THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2019. Individuals and companies are strongly advised to use this extended deadline to register and file using our electronic E-Filing platform at www.efiling.govt.lc. Taxpayers are encouraged to avoid the rush by Registering, Filing and Paying their Taxes Online!
The Department of Health and Wellness extended the travel restrictions of persons with a travel history within the last 14 days to Hong Kong, Republic of Korea,
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Saint Lucia Announces Closure Of All Educational Institutions
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n an effort to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and reduce the potential for transmission, the Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations, on the advice of the Ministry of Health, informed on Sunday March 15, 2020, that all educational institutions on island will be closed from Monday 16th March 2020 until 13th April 2020. This coincides with the Easter break. All school activities will also be suspended. Any further changes will be communicated as information becomes available. Teachers were asked to report to their schools on Monday March 16 and Tuesday March 17 to prepare teaching and learning material to be shared with students via identified platforms/media. The Ministry of Education has also been sharing educational resource websites via its various e-platforms.
Temporary Reopening Of COVID–19 Forces Express Des Iles Shuttle to Cancellation of Saint Lucia Jazz 2020 Facilitate Transfers to
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he Events Company of Saint Lucia and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority have been closely monitoring the recent developments concerning the spread of COVID-19 and the global health crisis that this has created. Both agencies convened a meeting to take a hard and realistic look at the risks versus the benefits of continuing with plans to host the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival, scheduled for the 7th – 9th May 2020, given that Mass Crowd Events present enhanced risk factors regarding the spread of the virus. The agencies have also had discussions with the Chief Medical Officer and the Ministry of Health, so as to be guided by their expertise on this matter. There is therefore unanimous agreement that the priority has to be the health and safety of our people and having weighed all these considerations, the Events Company of Saint Lucia and the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority see no choice but to cancel this year’s Jazz Festival.
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Saint Lucia.
Please be advised that the EXPRESS DES ILES shuttles will operate this weekend on the Saint Lucia stopover as follows: Friday March 20: Fort de France (1:15 p.m.) to Castries (arrival at 2:45 p.m.) Sunday March 22: Fort de France (1:15 pm) to Castries (arrival at 2:45 pm) The Express des isles Offices will reopen on Friday March 20th at 8:30 am. The Saint Lucia Consulate in Martinique advises that all persons who require to modify or buy tickets present themselves at the ticket booth very early in an effort to alleviate last minute disruptions. Kindly note that tickets can also be purchased on the Express des Isles website or call center. Be advised that in keeping with the protocol guidelines established for COVID-19, ALL passengers upon arrival in Saint Lucia, will be quarantined, isolated or asked to self-quarantine depending on the symptoms exhibited by each passenger. There is a travel restriction to Saint Lucia on persons with a travel history within the last 14 days to : Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Japan, Italy, Singapore, Spain,
France, Germany, Iran and the United Kingdom. Persons who travel from the United States and Canada within the last 14 days to St .Lucia and who develop respiratory signs & symptoms will be isolated and tested for COVID-19. The Saint Lucia Consulate in Martinique wishes all returning nationals a safe trip back home - please quarantine and stay safe.
LIMIT ON VISA PROCESSING The Department of External Affairs is in receipt of communication from the Embassy of the United States of America in Bridgetown informing of its decision to limit visa processing to cases not requiring personal appearance, such as government and diplomatic visas, and categories already entitled to interview waiver. This decision was taken in light of the evolving worldwide pandemic and in order to minimize exposure of staff and patrons and took effect from Wednesday, March 18, 2020. This decision will affect both immigration and non-immigrant visa processing. The Renewal Interview Waiver (RIW) and Interview Waiver Programme (IWP) remains operational. More information can be found at: https://bb/usembassy.gov/visas/ nonimmigrant-visas telephone: 468-4500 or 468-4514
Information from Saint Lucia’s Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Sharon Belmar George On Monday March 16, 2020 Dr. Sharon Belmar-George the island’s Chief Medical Officer, addressed a gathering under the islands National Emergency Management Advisory Committee (NEMAC). The following are some of the highlights from Dr. Belmar’s presentation.
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Corona Virus is going to affect every single one of us in one way or another, and planning and preparation is most important to the extent of the impact that it affects us. The tone has been set very well to ensure that every single organization is responsible and necessary to work with us to reduce the impact.
Summary of Prevailing Conditions and Possible Health Impact “COVID-19 is one of the diseases that affects persons who are elderly or with chronic diseases. So for us to estimate the possible impact we have to look at our diseases burden. And just giving you an idea of the prevalence of some of the main conditions will help you to see the level of risk (diabetes 14.5% hypertension 27.1% smoking 16.2% male 2.5% female sickle cell 0.25%) and will also help you to see our at-risk population that are a big part of the plan. For the age and sex distribution of our population, data from 2017, you will see that the 50-64 age groups are 16.5% and over 65, 9.5%. So we have an ageing population. This disease has spared the young persons so far in all of the countries that it has affected, but it is the elderly persons or persons with chronic conditions, that we have to work closely with and ensure that we can protect them to reduce the number of persons we have admissions and also requiring intensive care.
Confirmed Cases (as of March 18) “Our first confirmed case was a 63 year old from the UK with a past history of asthma and hypertension. She travelled through Grenada then arrived in Saint Lucia on the 7th of March. She developed severe symptoms on March 8th and was transferred to our isolation facility for testing and we received the results on the 13th of March. Our second case, a 53 year old male UK citizen, with a history of travel from France. He arrived on the 11th of March and he entered our system on the 13th and tested. We received the results on Saturday March 14th. I would like to indicate that both of the patients are stable and doing well in our isolation unit.
Capacity and In-Country Response “We know that about 5% who get COVID-19 develop critical disease and about half of them need ventilator care. Our present capacity is for isolation and quarantine. Home quarantine we do for persons who have a travel history to an area of interest in the last 14 days and if those persons have the capacity for home quarantine, that is having a room and a bathroom which is separate from the rest of the house. Those persons we are able to monitor twice a day for signs and symptoms such as fever or respiratory signs and symptoms. We have an arrangement with a guest house in the north which gives us the capacity for ten
rooms and in the early phases this has proved sufficient. Within the hospital our isolation unit has a capacity of 15 beds, that is for persons who have tested positive for COVID-19. Twelve ventilators were also ordered
Three Stage Approach “There are three stages to focus on for containment and mitigation. Stage one no cases or imported cases only. The most important factor is source control and border control.
Stage 2 - increase in cases and the start of community spread. To date we do not have any evidence of community spread. Stage 3 - Established community spread. “We have moved ahead with the measures require for stage two even though we have no in-country transmission.
Testing “As of last week we have acquired all of the equipment for testing and training has stated for laboratory staff. We anticipate by Friday March 20, we should be able to test in-country and the turn-around time should be 2-4 hours.
Recommendations •
“Cancellation of mass crowd events, schools and promote social distancing.
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Continued •
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•
• • •
“Allocations of supplies. The budget was approved very early for the procurement of supplies which we have done. We have also received a shipment from the OECS to supplement what we have. PAHO and the OECS have also stockpiled for the region. “Expedited move to OKEU Hospital and the use of Victoria hospital as our respiratory hospital to facilitate extra admissions. “Aggressive case finding and contact tracing which our teams are still doing based on the two cases that we have. Recruit clinical support from Cuba, Taiwan and India. Extension of travel ban as one of the measures put in place to reduce importation. Continuous screening at airport and strengthening of our ports
Recommendations to Chamber of Commerce and Business sector • • • • •
Health education of all employees Interface prevention and control in the work environment Sick days policy Work from home policy Contingency plan for reduced work force
Recommendations for Hotel Sector • • • • • •
Education of all staff Infection control measures Obtain travel history of guests Identify isolation room Communication and information management Contact Ministry of Health on any issues
Dr. Belmar has also informed that a 124 bed hotel with 5 blocks will be made available if needed for containment and quarantine. She advised Saint Lucians to stay at home if they are showing any signs and symptoms and to call a physician for further advice. She also indicated that the Government is also looking into providing counselling and psychological support to persons who may need it at this time.
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Respiratory Clinics
As of March 16, 2020, The Ministry of Health activated three (3) respiratory clinics at the Vieux Fort Wellness Center, the Dennery Hospital and the Gros Islet Polyclinic. An additional two clinics will be activated in the coming days to be located at the La Clery Wellness Centre and the Soufriere Hospital. These clinics are intended to take care of persons who have respiratory infections. #FightingCOVID19
Yachts Suspended All yachting and pleasure craft calls into Saint Lucia have also been suspended with immediate effect until further notice. In the interim, along with the Consulate General of Saint Lucia in Martinique, we have made arrangements for Saint Lucians who are in Martinique to return home. The EXPRESS DES ILES shuttles will operate this weekend on the Saint Lucia stopover.
Important Numbers
Saint Lucia COVID-19 Hotline: 311 Ministry of Health & Wellness/ Bureau of Health:
468-5300/5349 - 452-2859 Department of External Affairs:
468-4500 or 468-4514
Guy Joseph www.facebook.com/guyjoseph March 11 Saint Lucia’s E-Education project set to transform the Education system
Lenard “Spider” Montoute www.facebook.com/lenardspidermontoute March 17 No longer a dream..It will be delivered! Status Update - Gros Islet Music Studio extension and retrofitting work
Herod Stanislas www.facebook.com/herodstanislas March 17 It is with great sadness that we extend our deepest condolences to the Family on the passing of Ms. Simone Mondesir. Ms. Simone Mondesir was a leader with a devoted sagacity to service, volunteerism and selflessness to the Constituency and Nation.
Bradly Felix www.facebook.com/bradlyfelix758 March 17 I pray for various miracles but most of all, I pray for our safety. May God Bless and Keep Us
Allen Chastanet
Ezechiel Joseph
www.facebook.com/allenmchastanet | www.twitter. com/allenmchastanet
www.facebook.com/ezechieljoseph758
Dominic Fedee
www.facebook.com/edmundestephane758
www.facebook.com/dominicfedee
Hermangill Francis
Sarah Flood Beaubrun
www.facebook.com/heremenegild.francis
www.facebook.com/sarahfloodbeaubrun758
Fortuna Belrose
Edmund Estephane
Dr. Gale T C Rigobert www.facebook.com/galerigobert758
www.facebook.com/fortunabelrose758
Mary Isaac www.facebook.com/maryisaacslu
Stephenson King www.facebook.com/stephensonking
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