PHILIPSBURG--The Maho Group will be providing regular weekly rapid antigen testing for its staff as of January 20. This comes on the heels of the announcement made earlier this month that this service is being offered to guests as well, the Group said in a press release on Wednesday.
“In light of the limited testing facilities on the island, and for the safety of guests, employees and the community, we believe staff should periodically and voluntarily be tested for [coronavirus – Ed.] COVID-19,” said Saro Spadaro, the Maho Group’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
In consultation with unions, management is introducing a medically supervised testing programme using The Abbott Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test to be administered to staff by a healthcare professional, with results available within 30 minutes. Abbott’s Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test has been authorised by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is widely used in the Netherlands by the Dutch Public Health Authorities RIVM and it has been approved as a pre-travel test by the government of St. Maarten.
The testing is voluntary with the intention to test groups of staff every week, prior to the start of their work shifts. Based on the testing algorithm developed, all staff members who opt to be tested will receive a test at least once a month. The rapid antigen testing will augment the COVID-19 measures already in place with the resorts’ Pure Care programme that includes temperature checks, masks, sanitising stations, personal protective equipment and social distancing protocols, providing both staff and guests with an additional level of security.
The use of the testing will provide early identification of asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic infections to reduce group interactions when an infection is detected. In addition, the testing programme will assess the effectiveness of current COVID-19 mitigation measures and ultimately support a commitment to the well-being of the community and the company’s staff and guests.
More details on the company’s COVID-19 travel measures, offers and current promotions can be found at the company’s website
www.sonesta.com/stmaarten.
The Maho Group owns and operates the adults-only Sonesta Ocean Point Resort and the all-inclusive, family-centric Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino and Spa.
