By Caribbean News Global contributor
CASTRIES, St Lucia, (CNG Health) – Saint Lucia has now breached a major tipping point in the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in increase police activity, and shut-down recommendations from the Saint Lucia Medical and Dental Association ” in order to mitigate the effect of the disease and avoid further overwhelming of our already fragile healthcare system.”
National of Finland charged for COVID-19 protocol breach in St Lucia
A release for the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF), January 28, 2021, stated that police officers attached to the Gros Islet police station have formally arrested and charged a female in relation to alleged breaches of the COVID-19 protocols.
“About 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 27 at Pigeon Island, Gros Islet, a female non-national was approached by Peace Officers (COVID Wardens), after they observed that she was not adhering to the mask wearing requirement in a public place. The officers reported that she was cautioned to do so, but refused, proceeding to hurl expletives at them. She was taken into custody for the refusal to adhere to the enacted laws.”
The news release continued: “The female in question has been identified as, Johanna Koivulchto, a 30-year-old national of Finland, residing at Gros Islet, Saint Lucia. She has been charged with the offences of Swearing or Using Abusive or Indecent Language in Public Place (Contrary to Section 508 of the Criminal Code Chapter 3.01 of the Revised Laws of Saint Lucia 2013) and Failing to Wear a Mask or Suitable Covering Over the Nose or Mouth in Public (Contrary to Section 21 (a) (1) of the COVID-19 (Prevention and Control) Act No. 9 of 2020. She is currently in police custody awaiting a bail hearing.”
On Thursday, January 28, 2021, the ministry of health and wellness (MOH) received confirmation of 77 new cases of COVID-19 bringing the total number of active cases currently in the country to 505. The new cases now bring the total number of cases diagnosed in country to date to 1106 and 13 COVID-19 related deaths.
In a belated response to the COVID-19 national crisis, president of the St Lucia Medical and Dental Association Dr Merle Clarke, said in a release:
“Given the unprecedented surge in cases of COVID-19 on island with over five hundred (500) cases being diagnosed during this month, the general membership of the Saint Lucia Medical and Dental Association, coming out of an emergency meeting held [today January 28, 2021], agreed to the following recommendations in order to mitigate the effect of the disease and avoid further overwhelming of our already fragile healthcare system:
- A judicious shut down of all, but essential services for a period of two weeks in the first instance;
- Implementation of a curfew between the hours of 6:00 pm and 6:00 am;
- Immediate ramping up of testing, including the use of rapid testing.
“Thirteen Saint Lucian lives have been lost since the start of this pandemic. Any life lost prematurely is one too many. We are cognizant of the need to balance lives and livelihood. Livelihood and the economy can be revived, not so lives lost.
We will continue to valiantly battle on the front line ensuring that our fellow citizens receive the absolute best care possible. Our system however, has surpassed its limit.
We need to restrategize, regroup, reset. We cannot afford to wait. The time to act is now!
“Fellow citizens this is not a call to panic, it is a call to unite for our very survival. Together we can indeed win this war.”
Prime minister Chastanet has admitted albeit late that Saint Lucia is in the COVID-19 Red Zone and as a result urged citizens to rise to the occasion and ‘beat this enemy’.
“We cannot shut the country down entirely,” Chastanet acknowledged. “The decision as to whether we have to shut down the country is ours. The decision as to whether we are going to defeat COVID is ours,” he said.
Notwithstanding the prime ministers’ utterances the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on January 19, updated COVID-19 in Saint Lucia to Level 4: Very high level of COVID-19, adding, “travelers should avoid all travel to Saint Lucia.”
