SXM airport to open to US flights Aug 1. Border will be closed

Reduced # of flights. Back to needing a pass to cross the border. Just announced in a press briefing so more to follow

Wish PJIA would close to all flights. Many EU countries are starting to record more new cases.

Border closing is the worst possible news. This will hurt local people almost as much as no US visitors.

I would hope not. Need to learn how to live with virus and take necessary precautions. Not all areas of the EU have mask requirements.

Dutch side has yet to announce closing border preventing French side coming to Dutch side. Can't see how this will work to prevent the spread.

I feel so bad for all these businesses and employees. We want to go and visit and while it stinks if we can’t, this shutting down is killing people’s livelihoods.

Sadly, we're not shutting down. France is doing what they can to keep out Americans, this is the only way to do it. Dutch side is not closing their border.

Crossing the border will be permitted with a pass. Allowed reasons are medical and professional, which will cover those who live on one side, but work on the other.

In a press release, the Prefecture of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy indicates that it is putting in place "travel restrictions" between the two parts of the island from Friday July 31. No mention of "border closure", but if the syntax is different, the situation remains the same.
For the Prefecture, the active circulation of the virus on the territory requires "to slow down the spread of the virus by limiting movement". Thus, the Prefecture and the ARS, "after discussions with the Collectivity of Saint-Martin and in agreement with the Ministry of Overseas", have decided to put in place a "restriction of movement between the two parts of the island. as of Friday July 31 at 12 noon ". The Prefect Sylvie Feucher spoke this morning with the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten on this subject.

PROFESSIONAL OR MEDICAL REASON ONLY

The Prefecture indicates that "controls will be put in place at the roundabout of Bellevue and Belleplaine by the staff of the border police and the National Gendarmerie. The border points of Cupecoy and Baie aux Huîtres will be blocked as of this dated".

Only people with a professional or medical reason will therefore be able to cross the border. "This reason will be verified on the basis of the certificates already issued by the Prefecture in June during the previous traffic restriction. These certificates may be reissued and collected from the Prefecture services". Medical requests can be made to the email address covid19pref @ saint-barth-saint-
martin.gouv.fr

AUTHORIZED JULIANA TRAVELERS

In addition, the Prefecture indicates that authorized travelers from Juliana airport (from metropolitan France, the Schengen area or the list of safe countries) will be authorized to pass by presenting their plane ticket, their test PCR of less than 72 hours with a negative result and the sworn certificate issued by the company or present on the site of the Prefecture.

These restrictive measures are "essential to limit the circulation of the virus and avoid reaching the capacity limits of our health system", estimates the Prefecture, which specifies that they will be put in place temporarily while controlling the circulation of the virus on the island.

HEALTH ASSESSMENT

Since the health bulletin of July 24, 1 new case has been detected in Saint Barthélemy, bringing the number of cases to 2, and 4 new cases in Saint-Martin, bringing the number of cases to 7.
In Saint-Barthélemy, the new positive case is linked to a cluster of people from Guadeloupe who stayed on Saint-Martin and frequented establishments in Sint-Maarten.
In Saint-Martin,
- 1 case is still under investigation;
- 1 patient is hospitalized in Sint Maarten and 3 positive contact cases are linked to it;
- 1 case is a contact of an indigenous case;
- 1 case was imported from the Dominican Republic on a repatriation flight from the United States to Juliana. The government of Sint Maarten announced today that it has counted 45 positive cases. This active circulation of the virus would be at the origin of the contamination of 6 people from Guadeloupe who stayed on the island and generated a cluster still under investigation in Guadeloupe.

http://www.lepelican-journal.com/sa...RyXiuCo6_sa0L_HdVifIJSGAkCBHK1l5BeD-PEgA

So the way I read it if you're a tourist flying into PJIA and have accommodations to stay on the French side you won't be able to cross over to get there. If your are a French resident and cross over to Dutch side you can't return to French side unless you have a medical or professional pass but the Dutch will let you come to their side unencumbered. Going to be a real s**t show enforcing that.

It's no different than the way it was during the lockdown, and it worked just fine. No pass, no pass.

From SXM news
"PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of TEATT Ludmilla de Weever announced at the Council of Ministers press briefing that the government of St. Maarten will go ahead and reopen its borders (Princess Juliana International Airport ) as of August 1st to flights coming from US ports. De Weever said the flights have been reduced, however, there are 5 flights that will be coming from Florida.

The Minister further explained that inspections were conducted at restaurants and hotels to ensure all businesses catering to tourists are prepared and have in place the necessary requirements based on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs also announced that the Prefete of St. Martin Sylvie Feucher informed her on Wednesday morning that the French authorities will begin internal border controls as of midday on Friday, July 31st. Jacobs said that the Prefete informed her that there are concerns with the increased amount of COVID-19 cases on St. Maarten and as such the French Minister of Overseas Affairs believes that the necessary controls must take place. Jacobs further stated that while the Dutch side has 45 active cases, the French side has 8 positive cases. Persons wishing to go over to St. Maarten must secure the necessary documents from the Prefecture of St. Martin. Prime Minister Jacobs said that persons traveling to St. Maarten for work, health-related purposes as well as caring for their elderly relatives will be allowed to cross the border but they must secure permission from the French authorities.
Jacobs said that the Dutch side of the island will not be participating in the scheduled controls at the borders."

This USA isn't the only country where the virus is spreading. Comments like this insinuate all you have to do to fight the virus is to keep Americans out. 98.7% of Americans have not been infected.

Agreed, Wilsonck. No need to demonize all Americans, but it is what it is. Folks can believe what they wish. As for travel to SXM, we are considering November but this will give us at least some pause. Willing to do PCR tests, etc. We just returned from St Thomas last week ( got tested beforehand even though it was not required by USVI when we arrived but we felt it was the right thing to do. ) and now might think about returning there. We always stay on the Dutch side when on SXM, but no Pinel and no Orient would be a big minus. There are plenty of great food options on the Dutch side so that’s not a major issue. As for beaches though, it would be mostly Mullet Bay. We really miss SXM and her great beaches, hanging out at the Dinghy Dock etc. At least the Dutch side is trying to deal with this situation and learn to live with it as it’s probably not going away soon. Economic reality must be dealt with as well, and it can be done in ways that minimize risk. As for the French side, there are a lot of politics involved here as EU citizens are still not allowed to travel to US so much of this is just posturing. We are just going to keep an eye on the situation for now and of course the airlines reaction as it may limit the options for getting there. Really want to support SXM with our tourism dollars as soon as they will have us.

Think what you like. They do this because they need to, not necessarily want to. We can't handle big numbers here. But people got to eat

I wonder if they will be enforcing boat trips between the sides?

I know that during the protests, people were getting out to the airport via Anse Marcel, etc.

You do likewise. We all can think what we want, but of course we are not the decision makers for these nations. It’s two different countries, and they will each do what they feel is necessary and right, not what us folks on a message board want them to. There are also a lot of reasons for their respective decisions , and they’re not all just about the virus.

You do realize the Schengen zone is only open to 12 countries right now (13 if you count China, but only if they offer reciprocity). There are 195 countries in the world. So to single out Americans in your post is offensive.

Since the US has by far the most numbers of positive cases and the most number of deaths, 'singling out' Americans probably makes sense to me. Regardless, calling other's posts "offensive" is not productive here. We can agree to disagree, but please do it respectfully.

Carol, saying France is only keeping Americans out to fight the virus is offensive to me. That should not be allowed.

Was my last post not clear?

I don't know why anyone would jump on the first flight back to St. Maarten during hurricane season?

Herald article.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islan...-from-july-31-due-to-covid-19-resurgence

I do not HAVE to go to SXM. I go there because I enjoy the Island...enjoy visiting our friends and have two January weeks available in a unit with a great view. I consider it a VACATION and not a mandate. I will easily just say we're staying home rather than deal with the fuster cluck that is evolving. Sad to say this but WAAAAY too many restrictions to make it a relaxing trip. Right now it's just not worth it....maybe it will change but it seems to be going the other way

Some of us have family we are dying to see.

Thanks for your feelings and understanding.

It looks like the Minister of TEATT got an insurance requirement included. From the stmaartenehas.com application: "Does your health or travel insurance cover the expenses related to Covid-19?"

Dear Angelface, We have all missed our family and friends. It just is a double whammy having a pandemic and hurricane season upon us. Go visit your family and be safe!

No

I see where that is listed under the FAQ, however, it is not listed on the travel requirements page. Not sure how to take that.

I did a quote for covid-19 insurance for 2 adults for 1 week and it came up to $61.20 for the week for up to $100,000 of medical coverage. It also includes $500,000 of medical evacuation coverage separate from the medical maximums.

For an annual travel insurance that covers trips up to 30 days outside the USA and includes covid-19 coverage was $550, which is about $250 more than I have paid in the past for an annual trip insurance plan.

The insurance question is a yes/no checkbox on the EHAS form.

Well French side is now closed and between difficulty in getting Covid test and results in time and no real faith it won’t change again I will be cancelling my trip next month.

Can’t visit my family if the borders are closed

Some of us here in the USA have family we are dying to see also...but...for their safety and ours we have not been able to. The elderly have been ''held hostage'' in the retirement centers and nursing homes, but this is keeping them safe!! Both my wife and myself have lost our mothers this Summer....both within six weeks of each other. Neither died of Corona, but both ended up dying in their respective assisted living centers, without being able to have visitors since March. Both of our mothers, we beleive, ended up dying without us there, and without being able to visit them. As i said...covid didn't kill them, but we both believe that the loneliness they had contributed to their deaths. So please....this ''some of us have family we are dying to see" can wait. For their safety and for your own. Believe me, the last thing you would want to live with is the thought that if they get sick, that YOU contirbuted to their illness. The family time can wait.....until it can't.

Sorry for both your losses.

Out deepest condolences on the loss of your mothers. A terrible time.

Ed--so sorry for your loss. Eric's mother is not dealing very well with the isolation either. My sister is currently not able to see her husband, except standing outside the facility, looking in. A terrible time indeed.

So sorry for both of your losses, Ed. And I hear you about what I said, but I said it because I'm on borrowed time (as we all are). I don't know how much longer my 92 year old father will be alive, and I can't hop in a car and drive to see him from safe social distance. So am I frustrated, yes. And working in policy, I understand all the risks involved, and don't fault the island for doing what it can to keep her people safe. But it doesn't change my personal anxieties, and I was responding to a particular question about who would want to come down in August. Me. Not all of us on this chatboard are solely tourists.

Most resent from Daily Herald of Border closure.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/rules-for-entry-into-st-martin-via-bellevue-and-belle-plaine