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Covid-19 St. Maarten Update

As of Tuesday, March 17, all International flights and cruises originating from the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom into St. Maarten are restricted (cancelled) for next two weeks.

As of today, March 14, up until and including Monday, March 16, there is an opportunity for St. Maarten students and residents abroad to return to the country ahead of the two-week travel restriction. All residents and nationals traveling back to St. Maarten from the US, Europe and UK in this period are recommended to monitor their health for 14 days in case of Covid-19 symptoms.

Arrangements will be put in place for visitors to return home with their carriers in the coming weeks.

These travel restrictions do not apply regional (Caribbean) air and sea travel at this time. All Caribbean travel will continue.

Travel within the Caribbean part of the Dutch Kingdom - Saba Curaçao, Aruba, Bonaire, and St. Eustatius - remains in place until further notice.

Cargo flights and vessels bring in household supplies, food, oil and gas, and medicines will continue to and from St. Maarten.

Travel of technical and medical assistants will be allowed via commercial or chartered airlines.

No permits for gathering of more than 100 persons will not be issued. Those already issued will be postponed until further notice.

(Source: Prime Minister of St. Maarten)

Glad I am out of SXM and in Anguilla in my safe spot.
So far no panic here.
Was in St Maarten visiting for one week.

LINK

I wonder how this is going to work?

"Arrangements will be put in place for visitors to return home with their carriers."

Wow. Thanks Elaine.

What makes you think you are any better off in Anguilla than in St Maarten. St Maarten is doing everything right regarding this virus.

I live here.
Better than other options right now.
No disagreement about what SXM is doing.
Didnt mean post to be controversial.

I am wondering this as well. I can't see an airline sending an empty plane down just to take people home. I guess we'll just have to see what arises. Fortunately we can stay longer if need be.

I was just wondering. Seems that people with this virus need respirators and SXM with minimal hospital facilities. If there is alot of cases how will one get to use a respirator? Airlines or ships are not going to let you board to go somewhere else.

Wendell

Prime minister statement.
PRIME MINISTER OF SINT MAARTEN
Minister-President van Sint Maarten

National Address
Date: 14th, March 2020


Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs National Address on COVID-19 MARCH 14, 2020

“People of St. Maarten, I hereby address you, as Prime Minister and Chair of the EOC (Emergency Operations Center), in an update for today Saturday March 14, 2020, as part of the process to keep the community of Sint Maarten informed about the latest developments and the Governments COVID-19 preparedness, prevention, mitigation and response measures.

The World Health Organization declared on Wednesday March 11 that the coronaviris COVID-19 has become a global pandemic. Based on this delcaration, the Government of Sint Maarten has stepped up its preparations and today March 14, after deliberation with the Council of Ministers and the EOC a number of decisions have been taken.

These preventive measures are to limit the exposure of the Sint Maarten people to COVID-19 due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in Europe and the United States of America.

Effective Tuesday, March 17, 2020, all international flights and cruises originating from the United States of America, Europe and the United Kingdom to Sint Maarten are cancelled for a period of two weeks. These travel restrictions do not apply for regional air and sea travel at this time. Travel within the Dutch Caribbean – Saba, St. Eustatius, Bonaire, Aruba, and Curacao remains in place until further notice. This travel restriction also applies to other seafaring vessels.

Arrangements will be put in place for visitors to return home with their carriers. Cargo flights/vessels bringing in food supplies, household goods, oil, gas, as well as medicine will continue. Also allowed, will be travel by technical and medical assistants whether via commercial or chartered airlines.

I would like to reiterate that there is no food shortage on the island. There is no reason to engage in panic buying or hoarding of food. There is a sufficient supply of food and medication on the island. We remain in constant contact with our suppliers and have been assured that replenishments will continue.

As of today, March 14th, up until and including Monday, March 16th, there is an opportunity for St. Maarten students studying abroad and residents as well as essential personnel to return to the country ahead of the 2 week travel restrictions.

All residents and nationals traveling back to Sint Maarten from the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom during this period, are recommended to monitor their health for 14-days for consistent cough, fever or respiratory problems (consitent with COVID-19) and maintain a social distance for the safety and security of the community. If you experience the aforementioned symptoms, please call your family physician. Do not go to your doctor or the medical center. During the phone call with your doctor, you will be advised further what actions should be taken.

The second decision regards large gatherings. With respect to social gatherings throughout the country, new permits will not be granted for gatherings of more than 100 persons. Permits which have already been issued relating to gatherings of more than 100 persons will be postponed until further notice.

Government also strongly recommends that persons in a public setting should keep a distance of at least one meter from each other under certain settings. All institutions, businesses, organizations, religious services and other entities should adhere to these recommended advices in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The current situation unfolding at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) has been brought to my attention, as there was some confusion as to the travel history of 6 passengers on the Air France flight which landed today Saturday, March 14th, based on the fact that German nationals were on board. As we know germany has been added on March 11th to our list of restricted areas of travel. In the latest update received, two of the passengers are residents of Switserland and orignated from there and therefore are allowed to travel to St. Maarten as per our current travel restrictions. The other 4 passengers of German nationality who originated in Germany will return on the same flight back to France. The passengers were kept on board until this information was confirmed, and none have any symptoms related to COVID-19.

PJIA will issue a press release on this matter. The general public is advised not to allow themselves to be riled up before having all the facts. I will also continue to provide updates as the situation develops.

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.

As Prime Minister of St. Maarten, I wish to encourage all of us to remain steadfast in preparing for what is a world wide pandemic. While we currently have zero confirmed cases, these are all measures aimed at maintaining a COVID-19 status. I pray that we would take our fellow man/woman into consideration while going about our daily activities, and with the knowledge that we are ensuring your safety, refrain from panic buying and fear mongering. Continue to practice proper hygiene at home, at work and in the community.

Knowledge is power! Stay informed and be prepared. We are strong, resilient and faithful people and trust that this too shall pass.

God bless St. Maarten and her people as we work together; government and community to keep her safe. Thank you.

So is this a ban of USA flights or USA citizens? I have friends and family there And I’d rather sit it out on SXM than the USA. I suppose I could get to sxm or leave via St kitts etc?? Anybody know?

Isn't this some what fear mongering ?

I wonder if US airlines are going to dead head a flight to SXM just to bring passengers back to the US.

Wendell

Flights and cruise ships coming from USA whether passing through or originating.

Wise move

No mention of flights to or from Canada or the status of Canadian visitors. I am going to assume the PM knows better than to somehow consider us part of either the USA or the UK. Very odd that there is no mention whatsoever, either in terms of a restriction, or even an exclusion from the restriction, as there was for regional air carriers. Canadians are one of the largest groups of tourists to the island, so it is a little puzzling to leave us in a sort of "legal limbo".

That border lock should’ve been done a month ago, and not only on SXM. All North America should’ve been on a lockdown.

Shhhhh.... we are flying out of sxm on the 17.... Wife is already panicking, had to give her a few extra glasses of wine this evening...

We just switched our return from 3/18 to 3/16. Didn’t want to wait to see what would happen!!

OK. (whispering). Mum's the word!! lol. And feeding the wife wine on vacation is ALWAYS a good strategy.

Kim--hope that works for you to get home. Wow...

Yes Kim, glad you are going to get home Monday.

There is talk now of domestic travel restrictions. Home is the best place to be.

Safe and healthy travels.

It says flights and cruise ships. Nothing about nationality.

I feel safer here at this moment in time than what I am hearing going on in the USA. The public is acting like scared rabbits and not acting in a rational way. Maybe isn a week or 2 the panicking will subside at home and clearer minds will prevail; but for now I am happy to enjoy the fine weather here while waiting things out.

I had previously posted that my wife made me cancel our 8 day trip, leaving Philadelphia this AM at 9:30. American Airlines would not refund my tickets; but did give me store credit, good for a year.

Had we departed this morning, we would not have been able to return, as AA has cancelled the PHL-SXM flight, as of March 17, 2020.

The owner of the apartment that we were supposed to rent in Orient Village would not refund my 300 euro security deposit, but we did make an arrangement, whereby he will give me partial credit for a stay next November.

We were supposed to fly to Ireland on May 1; but it looks like that flight will be cancelled. No fun paying for trips that you cannot take. Hope that this calms down, and does not get any worse, but I am not optimistic.

We were already booked to leave SXM on Monday, and my understanding is that if you don’t make arrangements to get out of here by midnight Monday, you won’t be able to leave until 4/1 at the earliest. They’re definitely not screwing around with this. No one will get special treatment. They’re giving people 48 hours to get out and that’s that.

It was a frantic scene at the Royal Islander front desk tonight. People were sauntering in after dinner and security was telling people they couldn’t go upstairs until they confirmed their departure date with the staff. If it was after Monday, they were told they needed to make alternate flight arrangements ASAP or they had to extend their stay. Period.

It’s been a different vacation to say the least...

I am working on changing flights but nothing is available and I was on it last night. A couple of the others supposedly are going out today. Not really sure what to do at this point. Changing/rebooking on Delta online produced no results. No email notification from Delta either, others on AA did get a notification.

Seems Canada has be added, will post when confirmed.

Dumb clarification here.

Obviously, this means flights are ending. Does it mean vacation visitors MUST leave OR can they hunker down on island assuming they have lodging and provisions to do so?

Good luck everybody. Keep calm and wash your hands wherever you maybe.

Absolutely not. This is real. It's exactly that attitude that makes this situation worse. Think of the residents , medical resources are extremely limited. Why would you go there and potentially add to their burden. Support the island and stay home.

Gone by midnight tomorrow or hunker down.

Read what I just posted in a new topic. It appears inbound flights will be allowed to get previously scheduled passengers off the island. As we know, it could easily change but I am not seeing any good option at this point.

That is if your carrier hasn't already cancelled said flight based on this decision...

Pretty much same situation for us. We're scheduled for departure on Friday the 20th. Received email from American last night saying flight cancelled. Tried to change flight last night with no luck. Got on the phone and tried to call American at 3:30 am and was disconnected after an hour (a venture that cost me $25 even with my SXM cell phone). Delta is still showing flights available Wednesday, but I don't know if they will really fly an empty plane down here to pick people up, so I can't decide whether to spring for the Delta tickets. Nerve wracking.

Yes, difficult situations. My wife is going to the local airport this morning to see if she can do anything by talking to a person. I tried to book Wed, on Delta but had an issue getting credit card verification. Be sure to read the updated post I made earlier. Good luck.

Just spoke with United. They were unaware of the new travel restrictions, but I was able to change my flight from March 29 to April 1 which is beyond the 2 weeks announced so far. They did not have any availability to fly out earlier. Now I have to go down to the front desk and see about a room for the extra nights. I assume that since no incoming flights are allowed that shouldn't be a problem but we'll see.

ruralcarrier--I've sent you a message

Near as I can tell, flights coming in won't be empty. Bringing back locals.

Yes, I had the same problem with credit card verification

Well, that's true, there would be some residents coming home, at least for a while,but doubt they will be very full. It's hard to know what to do, but I guess if you're young and strong, I would go back home to SXM. If you're older, not sure I would risk the medical facilities on SXM...

I'm high risk and happy to be here, not there. Not sure I want to risk the chaos and crowds there! Back to the old chocolate and vanilla story