MARIGOT--The Préfecture disclosed Wednesday that the first supplies of more than 9,000 surgical masks arrived Tuesday from the national stocks and will be made available to private health professionals who are classified as a priority, given the role they are likely to play in detecting or dealing with cases of coronavirus COVID-19 in the territory, should a spread occur.
The Préfecture said in its release that the situation is still evolving well. There are no new confirmed cases and results for persons previously exposed were negative. One patient in Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital has been tested negative and cured while the second patient is still positive. The one case in St. Barths is also still positive.
General practitioners, private nurses and midwives will therefore be provided with masks on a priority basis, on presentation of their RPPS card in the pharmacy of their choice. A total of 50 masks are to be provided for each of these professionals.
With the expected complementary arrivals, the other priority health professionals (medical specialists, dental surgeons, masseur-physiotherapists) will be served as soon as possible. These masks are delivered against signature and commitment to use them in accordance with the instructions from the Ministry of Health and Solidarity and the recommendations issued by the French Society of Hospital Hygiene: https://www.sf2h.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Avis-Masque-SF2H-SPILF-04.03.2020.pdf
The ethics and civic-mindedness of each health professional and the respect for the conditions of use of these masks must allow an optimal management of these first stocks.
