French St. Martin’s second death attributed to COVID-19 (see related story) should serve as reminder that infection can be potentially fatal and must therefore be prevented by any means possible. Movement across the border has been restricted even further as a result.
The good news is that no new cases there were mentioned on Monday, after the number jumped to 15 on Sunday. However, it’s too early to tell whether a peak may have been reached or the growth rate is at least getting smaller.
And anybody in Dutch St. Maarten who may argue that the problem is bigger on the French side would do well to think again. The coronavirus obviously doesn’t stop at the frontier and this island remains very much one community.
Aruban Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Oduber recently shocked her constituents by saying “people will die in this crisis” as she announced the need for austerity measures including salary cuts in government to cope with the severe socioeconomic and financial consequences of the current global health emergency. Regrettably, with 40 confirmed cases in that Dutch Caribbean country up to Monday morning, chances are she will be proven right.
So, persons here complaining about the new “shelter in place” instructions also on the Dutch side ought to keep in mind that the whole idea is to prevent a major local outbreak, which could easily overwhelm the limited medical resources on the island. This can only be done with full cooperation of the general public.
Reports have reached this newspaper of people still doing discouraged things such as visiting stores in groups, even though those still allowed to open were asked to limit the number of persons inside at the same time. While business owners can rightly be held responsible for not enforcing these guidelines, shoppers too have a responsibility to do the right thing.
That is in everyone’s best interest, including their own.
