MARIGOT--The Préfecture confirmed in a release on Monday that a state of health emergency has been adopted by the Senate for St. Martin and St. Barths to protect the health care system until September 30.
This development permits Préfets to have the prerogative of flexibility in the application of national measures at the local level, allowing for alleviation or reinforcing of measures depending on the health situation.
Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital remains highly mobilised and is currently treating 11 patients in the dedicated COVID-19 unit. The health situation in St. Martin is stable, but the number of serious cases requiring hospitalisation remains high. None of the people hospitalised have been vaccinated.
In St. Barths the situation deteriorated significantly last week following the appearance of clusters among seasonal workers who came from metropolitan France and spread the virus during festive activities.
For this reason, the Préfet of St. Martin and St. Barths has decided to close nightclubs from today to contain the chains of contamination. The operation of dance floors in drinking establishments is also prohibited in St. Martin and St. Barths.
The Préfet reminds that the best way to protect oneself from the COVID-19 epidemic is to get vaccinated. The Galisbay vaccinodrome is open from Monday to Saturday, 8:00am to 4:00pm, until August 15.
The release made no mention of the health pass and mandatory vaccinations, the source of protests both locally and nationally.
