August 1 for Americans to SXM

https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/reopening-to-us-pushed-back-another-two-weeks

another push back for the date allowing Americans to go to Juliana Airport....

:up:

Don't blame them, frankly.

Any of you germaphobes care to publish statistics on testing rates and death rates?

J & M said:

Any of you germaphobes care to publish statistics on testing rates and death rates?

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It does seem like some on the forum are gleeful about the travel restrictions. I feel sorry for all the businesses, villa owners who’s income are being affected by the loss of tourism revenue. For the most part it is the young less than 25 years old in USA, not being responsible that are causing a spike in case and because they are young the death rate per day isn’t rising. I wish the restrictions could be enforced, a couple fines or days in jail made public would turn things around quick.

J & M:

If you are looking for St Barth related information:
Le Journal (7/7/20) stated that "over the past two weeks, 345 PCR tests have been performed, all negative". There have been no COVID-19 deaths on St Barth. The Agence régionale de santé site provides updates related to St Barth and other parts of the French Caribbean and Kevin has added these, as well as information about St Maarten, in this St Barth forum.

If you are looking to follow updated statistics for the world and US, I can suggest the Johns Hopkins site as a good source for data, including information related to both your first and second interest, and Ourworldindata, which also includes an entry that helps understand the different "rates" that get reported.

There are many sites on the web that are more suitable and appropriate than a St Barth travel forum for obtaining and/or discussing statistical analyses but I hope this helps... even if I don't consider myself a "germaphobe".

Isolated populations like SBH are different than large continental populations. Here in the USA the rising 'spikes' of case numbers are the best news we could have, as there is concomitant fall in death rates, and our population immunity is 'maturing'. This is due to longer time exposure of more people to virulent pathogens, perhaps mutation of viral particles, and numerous factors not clearly understood or identified by current testing (combination of developing cellular as well as humoral immunity). I just had to cancel a trip to HI, as they are still in a very immature stage of developing immunity, and are reticent to fully open resorts, restaurants and other attractions. The protection from the pandemic afforded by geographic isolation is now putting those sites behind Europe, Asia and the Americas, and it seems that SBH and like populations are going to take longer to develop immunity confidently.

well-reasoned argument, vingt-quatre.

Bravo 24!

herd immunity? interesting explanation here:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/vaccine-reach-herd-immunity-scientists/story?id=71662733

I'd love to see more information relative to "herd immunity" as referenced by 24loar as all the information I have seen is that there is a great deal of uncertainty with regard to its likelihood.

I agree that the isolation of the island and its limited medical capacity would cause the locals to be very cautious about visitors. I don't believe they are equipped to deal with any serious case.

I don't agree that people are "gleeful" about this situation. I think people want our island friends safe.

For those interested in these topics, a recent (7/2) interview of Dr. Fauci by Harvard Business Review that addresses many of the issues raised in the thoughtful post of 24loar is, I think, worth viewing in its entirety. The response to the question asked at 17:00 addresses the spike in cases, changes in case fatality rates, and (absence of) a favorable mutation. The question asked at 22:30, that addresses having the nonvulnerable develop immunity as a way of protecting the vulnerable while we await a vaccine is followed by a response that includes a blunt assessment of what developing sufficient population immunity means.

Over 700000 deaths in the US is what a quick calculation gave using the number Dr. Fauci cited for enough infections to produce protective "herd immunity" the current lower level estimate of infection fatality rate of 0.5% (as distinguished from the case fatality rate which is currently about 4% for the US), and just the over 18 US population.

Although i am very interested in this topic personally and involved in discussions about it elsewhere, I find myself hoping this forum can be reserved for discussions of St Barth until we get a vaccine and improved therapeutics that can help us avoid reaching that number!

I think the moderators have made it clear that any discussions regarding Covid-19 should be focused on its effect on travel to/from St Barths.

Discussions regarding infection rates, death rates, origin, treatments, etc. are best pursued elsewhere.

Dennis said:

I think the moderators have made it clear that any discussions regarding Covid-19 should be focused on its effect on travel to/from St Barths.

Discussions regarding infection rates, death rates, origin, treatments, etc. are best pursued elsewhere.

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If we haven’t let’s be very clear. About the island and stops along the way - SXM and SJU.