TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Curfew on French side

How is this going? Anyone know what the current number of cases is? Any thought whether it will be extended after June 9?

French Side gives updates only once each week. I won't take the time to do a personal translation, but here is Google's version. Excerpts from Thursday's update:

Saint-Martin :
For the week of May 24 to 30, 2021 (week 21, data stopped on May 30), there are 105 new cases in the territory of Saint-Martin (source SI-DEP ARS, people tested in Saint-Martin), a very high figure this week again (123 new cases in week 20). 104 positives in total are recorded over the same week by Public Health France (SPF).
Taking into account the consolidated data from previous weeks, this brings to 2,040 the number of cumulative cases of coronavirus confirmed in the territory since March 2020.
It should be noted that since 06/02/2021 (current week 22), 47 new cases of COVID have already been recorded out of 678 analyzes carried out.
The small number of screening RT-PCRs (variant search) entered in SI-DEP does not allow Public Health France to show the real rate of variants. However, monitoring the ARS allows us to say that we are 100% UK-type variants (newly named Alpha).

Hospitalized and deceased
The CH Louis-Constant Fleming and the CH de Bruyn remain very committed to the management of the crisis. On June 2, 12 confirmed Covid patients were hospitalized in the medical department of the CH LCF, one of whom was on respiratory assistance. No confirmed Covid patient is hospitalized in the medical department of CG de Bruyn.

In week 21, we deplore the death of a COVID positive patient in the medical department of the LCF hospital as well as the death of a COVID positive patient hospitalized in intensive care in Guadeloupe. We also deplore the death of an 82-year-old patient on Tuesday, June 1, bringing the number of deaths of residents of Saint-Martin to 18 since the start of the crisis.
5 medical evacuations of COVID-positive patients were carried out, to Guadeloupe, during week 21.

Number of tests
In Saint-Martin:
1,722 additional tests were performed in week 21 (PCR and antigens), for a total of 34,973 tests recorded1.
Current point:
• The drive installed in Marigot (behind the Mac Donald) is open Monday to Friday, 7 am to 12 pm, it tests both contact cases and travelers. Its capacity for collecting PCR tests for Saint-Martin is 150 per day from Monday to Thursday and 94 tests on Friday. It is to be taken into account, for the travelers, the delay of return of the results which is at least 36 hours; the tests being analyzed by the Pasteur Institute in Guadeloupe.
• The BPA Laboratory performs PCR tests by appointment at its Hope Estate drive, it tests in priority contact cases and people needing hospitalization. On Saturdays, the Bio Pôle Antilles (BPA) laboratory will be accessible for PCR samples (around 60) via the drive, by appointment only.
• People wishing to have access to an antigen test are invited to approach pharmacies in the territory (Sun, Soualiga, Concordia, Bellevue, Caribbean) which each have their own test schedules.

In Saint-Martin,
Epidemiological indicators are sharply increasing this week. It should be noted that the use of screening is on the rise.
• The weekly incidence rate, according to Si-DEP data, is still very high this week and is (for 7 weeks) well above the alert threshold. It stands (for all cases in Saint-Martin tested on the territory or residents tested outside the territory) at 293.7 / 100,000 inhabitants in week 21, against 341.3 / 100,000 in week 20.
• The weekly positivity rate, still according to the SI-DEP data, is above the vigilance threshold * with a rate of 6.1%, it remains very high and comparable to week 20 (6.4%).
The indicators are very high this week again. The situation is very worrying in view of the number of hospitalizations as well as the deaths that we deplore again this week. All this data should alert us and encourage us not to lower our vigilance and to continue the efforts made on a daily basis while always respecting barrier gestures. Equally important is understanding the value of getting vaccinated in order to prevent the spread of the disease in its most severe forms. Protecting the most vulnerable is a collective responsibility to which everyone must contribute.
As of June 2, a cluster was registered in a social housing and integration establishment accounting for 7 cases.

Vaccination
Saint-Martin :
Vaccination continues in Saint-Martin and now concerns people of all ages, with the opening since May 4 of a vaccinodrome in Galisbay (in front of the parking lot, on the carnival site). It is carried by the Red Cross and uses the Pfizer bioNtech vaccine. Anyone over the age of 18, with proof of residence in Saint-Martin (electricity, water, telephone bill, etc.) or a Vitale card is invited to come, when they wish (no appointment). you), to benefit from a vaccination (the operation takes about 20 minutes, between the administrative procedures, the injection and the monitoring). The vaccinodrome is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Saturday inclusive.
The vaccination center located at the Louis Constant Fleming hospital continues to operate alongside the vaccinodrome under the same procedures: online appointment booking (santé.fr) or call to the RIPOSTE unit.
Vaccination, via the Astra Zeneca vaccine, continues for patients over 55, it is carried out in the city by treating physicians and pharmacists.
As of June 2, 6,176 people have received their first injection and 3,088 people have received their second injection. Vaccination having started on January 13.
The vaccination rate of the adult population (18 years and over) in Saint-Martin is 22.64%

June 9 brings new questions. France will require both a vaccination and a COVID test (3-day PCR, 2-day Antigen). How that will work on the two-country island of St Maarten/St Martin is a mystery.

OK, none of that appears to be good news. The level of vaccination on the French side seems very low. And, not at all surprising, the level of cases appears to continue to rise..

Maybe next year

The St Martin curfew has been extended for 2 more days, until June 11. New curfew hours will by 8PM to 3AM.

The curfew in France starts at 11pm.....and is planned to end on June 30th. Guess they consider St. Martin more of a risk

I don't understand the reasoning for extending the curfew for only 2 days, but whatever.

The new numbers for St Martin will be published tomorrow. I’m hearing that they have improved a bit, but we won’t know until they are published. Sadly, I’m also hearing that there have been several recent deaths.

Carol, I don’t get it either. The best guess that I have is that it will give the Préfet time to see and absorb the new numbers. If he isn’t getting the numbers before they’re published then I don’t get that either.


Effective today, both a proof-of-vaccination AND a negative 3-day test (rt-PCR or Antigen) are required for St Barth. I’m guessing that the same is “technically” required for St Martin.

The Sint Maarten entry website was updated last night and it says that visitors must provide vaccination "status", if vaccinated.

Story in the Daily Herald today

Seven people have died in French St. Martin since May 20 and 11 evacuations to Guadelupe. That, combined with the very low percentage of vaccination on the French side, to me means that the curfew will be extended past this weekend..

The curfew has now been extended until Thursday, June 17.

From French Gov site.
"Covid 19-Press release] - Extension of the curfew in Saint Martin until Thursday, June 17
The latest health bulletin from Public Health France reports 111 new cases for the period May 31 to June 6 Since May 20th, 7 people have died (including 4 last week) and 13 health evacuations to CH in Guadeloupe have been carried out. As of June 11, 10 people are being hospitalized at Louis Constant Fleming hospital.
Due to these elements, the Prefect of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin has decided to extend the curfew until Thursday, June 17th at 3 pm. This one will be effective from 20 am to 3 am. Only persons with certificate1 and additional supporting documents will be allowed to circulate during this period. Gendarmerie checks will be carried out.
The decline in indicators has begun, but it is still too weak. In addition, the risk of saturation of our hospital system and the important occupation of the hospital's covid unit, requires that measures be extended since Sunday, May 30
Therefore, all establishments receiving from the public must close at 20 pm and gatherings of people are prohibited until Thursday, June 17
A press conference will be held Monday, June 14th by the Prefect on health situation and measures implemented.
The Prefect recalls that mobilization of all is necessary to fight the epidemic, and that vaccination, respect for barriers, social distancing, mask wearing and limiting gatherings of people are the most effective ways to do it. reach.
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Except for professional, health, compelling family travel, assistance to vulnerable or precarious persons, childcare, persons with disabilities and accompanying them, tasks of general interest at the request of the Administrative authority, linked to transfers or airport transits, or for pet s' needs."
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Not good news for the french side, going to re-evaluate our options.

Lunch and beach on the French side is a good option. Early to bed and early to rise! Rest and relaxation is the best option. Enjoy and stay safe.

Yes, it's just going to have to be lunch.

I feel sorry for some people we sat beside on the plane coming down. Younger couple, who had lived on island for a while, had rented a villa on the French side, along with 4 newbies. Very tough for some first time visitors...

I don't really care for the curfew extension either, but had it baked into possible outcomes. We'll still eat very well with lunch being the primary meal, just have to get in sooner and to bed earlier in the evenings. One accidental solution was waking up at 3am so I was ready for bed around 9. And, yes, I know I still owe an interim trip report--just hang tight.

Knowing what I know now, I would still do this trip, not really changing a thing. We just experienced a wonderful rain storm, and warm weather rain is not something we're used to in NorCal.