Given the Ministry of Health’s focus on positioning Saint Lucia to respond to COVID-19 cases, the national healthcare system has been adapted to allow for a more robust response to COVID-19.

As such new pathways to care have been created and the public is asked to utilize these as required to access care.

The 311 hotline is available to provide general information on COVID-19 and access points for care and support. As of Monday, March 30 this service will be available for seven days a week and shall function from 7 a.m. to midnight daily.

Persons with flu-like symptoms can access care at their closest respiratory clinics. The five existing respiratory clinics are at the Gros-Islet Polyclinic, La Clery Wellness Centre, Dennery Hospital, Vieux-Fort Wellness Centre and the Soufriere Hospital. The services at the Dennery and Soufriere hospitals and the La Clery and Vieux-Fort Wellness Centres are available daily Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Services at the Gros-Islet Polyclinic is available daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, including weekends.

Respiratory clinic services are also available at the Victoria and St Jude Hospitals and this is to be utilized by persons with respiratory issues but requiring care outside the normal hours of operations at the clinics within the community. All respiratory cases coming into the hospital facilities will be screened and redirected for care services as required.

Mobile phones have been distributed among local medical physicians to allow for the delivery of telephone triaging of persons who are experiencing flu like symptoms and require an initial level of assessment and direction to points of care. The numbers of these physicians are below.