A total of eight Saint Lucian nationals repatriated from the cruise ship were released from the Rodney Bay Public Health Facility after spending 14 days in quarantine. The individuals showed no signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

Minister for Health and Wellness Sen. Hon. Mary Isaac highlighted the importance of people being placed in quarantine.

“Because there are many countries that are high risk based on the number of positive cases for COVID-19, it is important that we keep persons who come back, travelers in quarantine where we monitor them, their temperature, we do their vital signs and we monitor them for respiratory signs and symptoms that is fever, cough, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat or just feeling unwell. So, we monitor them and for anyone who develops respiratory sign and symptoms we ensure that they get tested for COVID-19. This is to protect, prevent and to reduce the possible transmission of COVID-19 from persons coming into the island.”

Two of the individuals described what life in quarantine was like.

“We enjoyed it, that was part of the protocol we went through but it was good. We enjoyed. I learnt a lot, because I came from Norwegian Spirit and when we got to Saint Lucia, we really enjoyed every minute of it and we learned quite a lot in terms of wearing the mask and washing the hands and those sort of things and I guess will take that back home with me.” 

Another said: “It is healthy to be safe and to be here and make sure that you are not spreading the coronavirus and just to make sure that we are protecting our loved ones before we go home and we don’t spread to the people that we love.”

The eight individuals released from the Rodney Bay Public Health Facility each were presented with a letter stating that he/she is in good health.