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SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors #227663
06/08/2020 12:28 PM
06/08/2020 12:28 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,481
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline OP
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Carol Hill
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Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227664
06/08/2020 12:35 PM
06/08/2020 12:35 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,567
Auburn, WA
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They will need a lot of tests on hand.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: SXMScubaman] #227666
06/08/2020 01:43 PM
06/08/2020 01:43 PM
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Posts: 82,481
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline OP
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I question whether the advance test might make more sense. What happens if a person tests positive on the rapid test and they are a visitor? I would assume they would be required to be quarantined and it seems SXM government has very few such quarantine facilities. And I would assume there would be some push-back to the requirement that the person quarantined be required to pay for the cost of it?


Carol Hill
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227667
06/08/2020 02:15 PM
06/08/2020 02:15 PM
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WLE Offline
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Why not have the rapid tests done in the boarding areas of each airline before departure, I don't think people would want
arrive in St. Maarten and test positive and have to fly back home. And if I tested positive I would rather be close to our hospitals
if need be.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227668
06/08/2020 02:17 PM
06/08/2020 02:17 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
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Auburn, WA
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That and if you test positive but are actually negative or visa versa? There have been some inconsistencies with some of those tests.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: WLE] #227669
06/08/2020 02:27 PM
06/08/2020 02:27 PM
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Posts: 82,481
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline OP
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That's a good point. I think the islands that have required the test so far are requiring it upon arrival though.


Carol Hill
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227670
06/08/2020 02:30 PM
06/08/2020 02:30 PM
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Posts: 18,561
St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
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BillandElaine  Offline
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We don't have enough tests for the population, let alone visitors.


Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: BillandElaine] #227671
06/08/2020 02:32 PM
06/08/2020 02:32 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,567
Auburn, WA
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That better change or there will be no visitors allowed in if that is what they plan on doing.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: BillandElaine] #227673
06/08/2020 04:06 PM
06/08/2020 04:06 PM
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MrWhiskerssammy Offline
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I agree with you Elaine. As WLE said, I would much rather be closer to home if I found out I was infected. Visitors should not be taking away tests that the residents of the island may need and having to just turn around and leave? Don't know what the minister is thinking--if he is. The tests should be done at point of departure.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: SXMScubaman] #227674
06/08/2020 04:09 PM
06/08/2020 04:09 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,561
St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
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BillandElaine  Offline
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If they can't get them for their own people...


Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227675
06/08/2020 04:12 PM
06/08/2020 04:12 PM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,635
Brookfield, CT.
pat Offline
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Maybe I’m wrong, and I will openly admit I’m a ‘what if’ kind of person but I think there will be a lot more preplanning needed before anyone is allowed to return as a vacationer. There’s still a lot of unanswered questions and issues that need to be resolved before I’d be willing to come back and I really, really want to come back to St. Maarten. But I want to do it safely!!


Respectfully,

pat



"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
them."
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: BillandElaine] #227676
06/08/2020 04:50 PM
06/08/2020 04:50 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,567
Auburn, WA
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Lots of time to acquire those needed if that is what is planned.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227677
06/08/2020 05:33 PM
06/08/2020 05:33 PM
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SammyM Offline
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This sounds like a good idea on the surface, but from a practicality stand point I don't believe this will work. And, for how long of a period would they intend to do this for? Testing asymptomatic people in advance will be a waste of these tests that can be better used on symptomatic residents and visitors on the island. Presenting a negative test in advance might work, but a person could be infected in the time between their test and their arrival on St. Martin. I would propose temperature checks at all airports flying to St. Martin and follow-up temperature checks at PJIA. If a temperature greater than 99.5 Fahrenheit is recorded, then the possibility of a rapid COVID-19 test could be administered. Eventually, once a vaccine is available officials could and probably should require proof of vaccination in advance of arrival on SXM.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: SXMScubaman] #227687
06/09/2020 08:05 AM
06/09/2020 08:05 AM
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St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
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Less than 500 people here have been tested. If I can't get a test, why should you?


Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227688
06/09/2020 08:36 AM
06/09/2020 08:36 AM
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pburke40 Offline
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If someone tests positive on arrival, haven’t they potentially infected others on the plane? It doesn’t seem that this idea has been thought through.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: MrWhiskerssammy] #227689
06/09/2020 09:15 AM
06/09/2020 09:15 AM
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Carol_Hill Offline OP
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It is my understanding that most other islands that have announced a plan so far have required a negative Covid 19 test no more than 2 or 3 days PRIOR to the flight. Therefore the cost of the test and the consequences, if the person tests positive, would be borne in the person's country of origin. While this doesn't seem like a perfect plan either, because the person could go from negative to positive in two days, (or the test could plain be WRONG), it seems to make more sense than a plan to test AFTER people arrive.


Carol Hill
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227692
06/09/2020 10:03 AM
06/09/2020 10:03 AM
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CaribEagle Offline
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It could/should be game changer on all of these protocols if the announcement by the WHO yesterday that it is rare for an asymptomatic person to spread the virus, is correct and accepted as solid science.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: CaribEagle] #227694
06/09/2020 10:11 AM
06/09/2020 10:11 AM
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PelicanPirate Offline
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Who knows, but the exact opposite was told By “official gurus” 2 months ago that asymptomatics were super spreaders in Korea and Europe.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227695
06/09/2020 10:15 AM
06/09/2020 10:15 AM
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sxmmartini Offline
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This is a stupid idea... The rapid test is for those who have had covid 19 and recovered. How many here have had Covid 19?

Attached Files image.jpeg
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227696
06/09/2020 10:23 AM
06/09/2020 10:23 AM
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Posts: 18,561
St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
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BillandElaine  Offline
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Think about this. You come here, bring or get the virus and have to be hospitalized. Do you realize our COVID hospital is in tents? In hurricane season. With 12 or 14 ventilators.


Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: sxmmartini] #227697
06/09/2020 10:56 AM
06/09/2020 10:56 AM
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Carol_Hill Offline OP
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My understanding is that the test they are talking about is the one that detects an active infection. It appears there are two different types of rapid tests.

Link


Carol Hill
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: BillandElaine] #227698
06/09/2020 11:21 AM
06/09/2020 11:21 AM
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CaribEagle Offline
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Originally Posted by BillandElaine
Think about this. You come here, bring or get the virus and have to be hospitalized. Do you realize our COVID hospital is in tents? In hurricane season. With 12 or 14 ventilators.


With all due respect think about this, I along with others come don't get sick and spend lots of money in the local economy thereby helping those on the island that are working everyday to support their families. If I lived in fear of what could happen I would never leave my house much less get on a plane to fly (plane could crash), rent a car to drive (people die daily in car wrecks), swim in the ocean (drowning- 320,000 deaths in 2016), walk under a coconut tree (150 deaths annually from falling coconuts), walk outside to get the mail or exercise (cardiac arrest). Reasonable precautions can and should be take to determine illness and then people can simply be smart about hygiene.

Last edited by CaribEagle; 06/09/2020 11:29 AM.
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: CaribEagle] #227700
06/09/2020 12:02 PM
06/09/2020 12:02 PM
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Posts: 18,561
St Maarten
BillandElaine Offline
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BillandElaine  Offline
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And that's a choice everyone makes. But you have to be aware of the situation here before making that decision. Believe me, many of our friends and neighbors are in dire straits and I hope, for their sake, a comfortable solution can be found.


Elaine
*********************************
God Bless the broken road....
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227722
06/10/2020 08:07 AM
06/10/2020 08:07 AM
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North Kingstown, Rhode Island
RI Bob C Offline
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Testing upon arrival showing positive means other passengers and the crew should be quarantined.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227785
06/11/2020 06:59 AM
06/11/2020 06:59 AM
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bizzottom Offline
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as far as getting documentation substantiating testing 2-3 prior....the diagnostic companies are so overwhelmed in the the northeast i couldn't get results for upwards of 7-10 days. kinda thwarts that recommendation.

Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: bizzottom] #227789
06/11/2020 09:09 AM
06/11/2020 09:09 AM
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Carol_Hill Offline OP
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Carol_Hill  Offline OP
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Agreed, in many places it is very difficult to obtain a test, let alone to get a result in a timely fashion.


Carol Hill
Re: SXM minister proposes rapid antigen test for visitors [Re: Carol_Hill] #227794
06/11/2020 10:24 AM
06/11/2020 10:24 AM
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Auburn, WA
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Not easy in Washingtonian State either.


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