PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten will do what is necessary to meet the demands that might arise as a result of the United States requiring nearly all arriving passengers to present a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of departure.
Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs said on Wednesday that while the country had not been notified of this formally via Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Minister Ludmila de Weever, authorities had been informed that American Airlines had indicated that as of late January it will only be accepting passengers to the US who possess a negative COVID-19 test.
“We have received more tests. We are not challenged at the moment with the number of tests and that is why we are able to do the drive-through [testing – Ed.]. We will continue to do all that is necessary to ensure that the ability is there for what is necessary for any returning tourists as well. It will be a challenge, of course, and so we have two weeks to prepare for that,” Jacobs said.
The new US order goes into effect on January 26.
