By Caribbean News Global contributor
CASTRIES St Lucia, (CNG Health) – The government and people of Taiwan continues to assist friends and allies in the fight against COVID-19 with 14,500 FORA COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test Kits to Saint Lucia, Wednesday, January 27, 2021.
Ambassador Peter Chen delivered the test kits donated by Taiwanese TaiDoc Technology Corporation and developed in collaboration with the top Taiwanese research institute-Acadimia Sinica.
The donation exemplifies what president Tsai Ing-wen said on her Twitter earlier this year: “2020 was a difficult year for so many around the world. But I am honored that Taiwan could lend a hand in ways big and small. Taiwan can help and Taiwan will continue to help.”
At the handover ceremony, prime minister Allen Chastanet expressed appreciated to president Tsai’s unwavering support and praise Taiwan as a friend “we can never do without.”
Prime minister Chastanet also “urged all his fellow countrymen to learn from the example of Taiwan and fight the pandemic as one. He also thanked Taiwan for the donation of the COVID-19 rapid test kits which would help Saint Lucia to build the defense against the virus.”
“Taiwan and Saint Lucia are not just partners at times of prosperity but also true friends during hard times. Together, we will win the war against the virus and flourish soon again,” said ambassador Chen.
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Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOH) guides the public that anyone who has had a COVID-19 rapid antigen test and receives a positive test result must have a PCR COVID-19 test to confirm this result.
“PCR Testing for COVID-19 is available at the five Respiratory Clinics free of charge. This is in keeping with the national testing protocol for COVID-19 and to allow for the bridging into care of anyone diagnosed with this virus,” the MOH said in a statement.
As of Tuesday, January 26, 2021, the MOH reported 461 active COVID-19 cases The new cases now bring the total number of cases diagnosed in country to date to 969. There are 13 COVID-19 related deaths.
Prime minister Chastanet has admitted albeit late that Saint Lucia is in the COVID-19 Red Zone and as a result urged citizens to rise to the occasion and ‘beat this enemy’.
“We cannot shut the country down entirely,” Chastanet acknowledged. “The decision as to whether we have to shut down the country is ours. The decision as to whether we are going to defeat COVID is ours,” he said.
Notwithstanding the prime ministers’ utterances the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on January 19, updated COVID-19 in Saint Lucia to Level 4: Very high level of COVID-19, adding, “travelers should avoid all travel to Saint Lucia.”