French President Emmanuel Macron greets medical staff as he visits the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris, France February 27, 2020.
~ Health authority mobilised ~
MARIGOT--The State in St. Martin and St. Barths, like all French departments, has been working for several weeks now on developing a system for protecting the population against any possible outbreak of coronavirus. Its services, operators and partners are fully mobilised.
Numerous technical, preparatory and management meetings have been held with the health and rescue services, as well as airport and seaport managers and local hospital and medical services. This has led to appropriate care measures that are now being implemented and already operating to deal with any eventual contamination.
At the same time, protocols have been put in place for several weeks with maritime and airport authorities in conjunction with control, and health authorities as well as the airlines and cruise lines, to inform passengers in advance, to handle any suspicious cases and verify maritime declarations of health that apply to pleasure boaters. Support for the medical services and hospital is organised by regional health authority ARS.
The system is calibrated to allow complete management of suspected cases, whether it is an isolated situation (one to six people), a group situation (seven to 20 people), or widespread viral circulation (with mobilisation of specific sites of monitoring and care).
The Préfète Déléguée and the Director-General of ARS remind people coming back from China (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao), Singapore, South Korea, Iran or the regions of Lombardy and Veneto in Italy of the following recommendations and procedures:
In case of signs of respiratory infection (fever or feeling of fever, coughing, difficulty in breathing, etc.) within 14 days of returning from an area where the virus is circulating: Contact Service d’Aide Medicale Urgente (SAMU) by dialling 15 and report symptoms and recent travel. Avoid all contact with people around you – do not go to the doctor or emergency room, to avoid any potential contamination. Transportation and relocation will be organised by SAMU.
In addition, during the 14 days following return: monitor your temperature twice a day and watch for symptoms of infection (coughing, difficulty breathing), wash your hands regularly or use a hydro-alcoholic solution, avoid all contact with fragile people (pregnant women, chronically ill people, elderly people), avoid frequenting places where there are fragile people (hospitals, maternity wards, accommodation facilities for the elderly) and avoid all non-essential outings (large gatherings, restaurants, cinema).
For workers and students: as far as possible, give priority to teleworking and avoid contact with other people (at meetings, in lifts, canteens). Children, junior high school students and high school students should not be sent to kindergarten, schools, college or high school, respectively, considering how hard it is to wear a mask all day.
With regard to communication, a toll-free number 0-800-130-000 has been set up to respond to all questions from the population on the subject. The call is free and accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The government also provides an update on the situation with a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on
www.gouvernement.fr/info-coronavirus. Information messages will continue to be posted frequently on institutional sites, including social networks, both national and local.
