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To the Saint James School of Medicine Community


2022

UPDATE (8/24/2022 0.00 AM)

COVID UPDATE FOR ANGUILLA:

Requirements Effective August 8th, 2022

  • There shall be no pre-arrival testing requirement for vaccinated persons. Evidence of vaccination status must still be presented to the airlines on check-in and on arrival at the ports of entry in St. Maarten and Anguilla.
  • Unvaccinated visitors will be permitted to enter Anguilla with a negative pre-arrival COVID-19 test result. There shall be no quarantine or further testing.

Vaccines accepted…

  • Pfizer/BioNTech: Cormintary; BNT162b2 (2 doses)
  • Oxford/AstraZeneca: Astrazeneca, Vaxzevria, Covishield, AZ; AZD1222 (ChAdOx1) (2 doses)
  • Moderna: Moderna; Spikevax (2 doses)
  • Janssen: Janssen/John and Johnson; JnJ (1 dose)
  • Sinopharm (2 doses)
  • Sinovac (2 doses)
  • Covaxin (2 doses)
  • NOTE: Mixed vaccines are accepted, but they must be a variation of Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sinovac, Covaxin, Moderna and Novavax.

 

UPDATE (1/10/2022 0.00 AM)

Dear Students,

 

We are excited to welcome many of our current and new students to campus today. This is a great step in returning to the traditional method of teaching medicine- in the classroom. However, due to rapid spreading of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus, many of our students have struggled to reach the campus on time. Due to this reason, the school has decided to extend the Remote Learning option for the first two weeks of the class until the 24th of January. We are hoping this will allow enough time for all students to reach their respective island and make proper lodging accommodations. We will continue to monitor the situation and will make the proper adjustments as necessary.

We welcome you all to the Spring 2022 term! We are excited to kick off another successful semester.

 

Sincerely,

The Provost

 

 

2021

UPDATE (7/6/2021 0.00 AM)

FALL 2021 RETURN TO CAMPUS

 

UPDATE (8/24/2021 0.00 AM)

Aug 2021 Anguilla Travel Protocol Update

 

UPDATE (2/18/2021 2.21 PM)

Summer 2021 announcement

2020

UPDATE (10/23 3.24 PM)

Spring 2021 incoming student announcement

Spring 2021 current student announcement

 

UPDATE (10/15 10.00 AM)

St. Vincent updated their travel protocols –

http://health.gov.vc/health/images/PDF/stories/SVG_Health_Services_Subcommittee_Protocol_for_Travelers_to_SVG_-__13102020_-1.pdf

 

UPDATE (7/31 11.45 AM)

Click here to see the Requirements for Passengers from the USA from Coronavirus Task Force of St. Vicent and the Grenadines

 

UPDATE (7/28 9.00 AM)

Click here to see the COVID-19 Update 13 from H.E. the Governor and the Hon. Premier.

 

UPDATE (7/24 11.00 PM)

Current Travel Protocols for St. Vincent and the Grenadines

 

Students who plan to travel to St. Vincent for the Fall 2020 semester need to follow the following guidelines prepared by the St. Vincent government to ensure those arriving are not carrying or spreading COVID-19.

 

  1. All students who intend to travel must download the Vincy COVID-19 Application online at Health.gov.vc. The completed form should then be submitted via email to CoronaVirusTaskForceSVG@gmail.com
  2. If COVID-19 testing is available in your area, please get tested within 72 hours of arrival using the PCR test method and bring your negative result, in English with you to St. Vincent.
  3. If you are not able to be tested within 72 hours before arrival, you will be tested upon arrival to St. Vincent and expected to quarantine until results received and are negative
  4. If you test positive for COVID-19 upon arrival you will be quarantined in your home or in a government approved facility
  5. All airline travelers to St. Vincent may be quarantined for 24 hours upon arrival to await test results for other passengers on your flight
  6. Passengers arriving on flights from the United States must arrive with a negative COVID-19 PCR test result and proof of reservation at a Ministry of Health approved hotel for 5 nights. You will be quarantined at the hotel for five days, tested for COVID-19 before release from hotel, and then will continue quarantine in an approved home/facility for a period of 9-16 days.
  7. If you become ill or show symptoms after your arrival you must call the COVID-19 Hotline: 1-784-534-HEAL (4325)
  8. The following hotels are approved locations for quarantine:
Hotel Telephone Email
Beachcombers Hotel 784-458-4283 beachcombers@vincysurf.com
Blue Lagoon Hotel & Marina 784-458-4308 info@bluelagoonsvg.com
Mariners Hotel 784-457-4000 frontdesk@marinershotel.com
Paradise Beach Hotel 784-457-4795 info@paradisesvg.com
Spring Garden Resort 784-458-0512 springgardenssvg1@gmail.com
Sunset Shores Hotel 784-458-4411 info@sunsetshores.com
Young Island Resort 784-458-4826 frontdesk@youngisland.com

 

Direct flights have resumed to St. Vincent through Miami, Toronto, and New York City.  If your travel has stops or layovers on other Caribbean islands make sure to check what their travel protocols are as well.

 

Current Travel Protocols for Anguilla

 

Students who plan to travel to Anguilla for the Fall 2020 semester will need to follow the guidelines provided by the Anguilla Government to enter the island.  At this time, the process is still being reviewed and has not been announced. Below is the most updated information we have:

 

  • Currently the Anguilla border is closed through July 31st to the US and Canada
  • Anguilla’s reopening depends on St. Maarten, which is currently also closed
    • If Anguilla opens and St. Maarten does not, travel will be limited to direct flights to Anguilla from Puerto Rico
  • We have been informed the general plan upon reopening will include testing and a mandatory 2-week quarantine, but these plans are not finalized
  • Andrewin, the Chief Medical officer of Anguilla is a member of faculty and is advising SJSM on all decisions.

 

UPDATE (6/22 5.00 PM)

On consultation with our accrediting body (ACCM), we have decided to offer the following two options for our Basic Science courses for the upcoming Fall Semester (2020).

  • We will continue to conduct remote classes via the internet for the benefit of students who may not be able to travel to the islands;
  • For those who wish and are able to travel to the campuses, our classes will be conducted in person and the campuses will remain fully open, staffed, and functional.
  • If you are planning to attend classes in person for the Fall Semester 2020 please contact Raj Mitra at rmitra@mail.sjsm.org for updates on travel and island information.

As you may be aware, the Step 2 CS has been suspended by the USMLE program for the next 12 to 18 months. In response to this, the ECFMG has identified pathways that will allow qualified IMGs who have not passed Step 2 CS to meet the requirements for ECFMG Certification. One of the pathways mentioned include ‘Pathway 3: Medical School Accredited by Agency Recognized by World Federation for Medical Education (WFME)’. This means that our students will be able to participate in Match 2021 unhindered. For further information please refer to the following link:

https://www.ecfmg.org/certification-requirements-2021-match/

UPDATE (4/30 1.00 PM):

We are pleased to announce that Anguilla has returned to normalcy since Wednesday, April 29th. However, all borders and ports remain closed and coming in or leaving the country is not permitted.

Regarding NBME exams and Prometric Centers:

Due to COVID-19, Prometric has decided to limit the re-opening of testing centers on May 1st for essential services programs.  USMLE has been deemed an essential program and special provisions will be made by Prometric in accordance with social distancing guidelines.  On the other hand, NBME is NOT designated as an essential program at this time. However, the expectation is that Prometric will resume accommodating those exam appointments in June. This may be subject to change in the future, but we recommend that students check Prometric’s website for updates.

For those students whose NBME exam appointments have been cancelled due to the Prometric closures, it is recommended that you re-register for a new exam window on the SJSM Prequalification page. Clinical Science students whose Core Subject exams have been cancelled will automatically be rescheduled for later dates. Refunds for cancelled exams will automatically be given to students who were impacted. If anyone has any questions or confusion about what to do, you can email examsupport@mail.sjsm.org.

UPDATE (4/20 9.00 AM): ATTENTION ALL ST. VINCENT STUDENTS, the US Government is organizing an evacuation of all US students. This is NOT A MANDATORY EVACUATION.

The Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados is coordinating with the commercial carrier – Seaborne Airlines/Silver Airways – to facilitate a flight from Saint Vincent to San Juan (SJU), Puerto Rico (U.S.A.) on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, for the purpose of repatriating U.S. citizens.  We urge U.S. citizens (and U.S. Legal Permanent Residents) wishing to travel to the U.S. to immediately contact this airline directly in order to book a seat on this flight by emailing: repatriationflights@silverairways.com or by calling +1(801)401-9103.  Please note that the flight will not be available for purchase on their website.

 

 

UPDATE (4/2 6.00 PM): ATTENTION ALL ANGUILLA STUDENTS, the US Government is organizing an evacuation of all US/Canadian students. Please reach out to your SGA representative or Deans for further details. Please note, THIS IS NOT A MANDATORY EVACUATION. You are free to stay on the island if you think this is the best course of action for you.

UPDATE (3/26 6.00 PM): Anguilla has received confirmation that there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the island. Both patients are in quarantine and have exhibited relatively mild symptoms. As of now, classes will continue on the campus as per the schedule, and we are awaiting more direction from the government. In the mean time please reach out to our Deans, Dr. Iliou, Dr. Ramirez, and Dr. Wajid for more information.

UPDATE (3/20 5.00 PM): The Illinois government has implemented a “shelter in place” order for residents.  The SJSM administrative headquarters are located in Park Ridge, Illinois and will be affected by this order.  For the safety of the staff, the administrative office started working remotely on Tuesday, March 17th.  Most services have not been majorly impacted by this transition, however, since travel is not recommended, some services may take longer to process.  We ask for your patience and understanding as we continue to work and try to prevent interruptions to our student’s education.

Please try to limit requests at this time if they are not essential.

UPDATE (3/19 10.00 PM): The US Government has raised its travel advisory to ‘Level 4-DO NOT TRAVEL’. Students in St. Vincent should travel back as and when they can. Students in Anguilla, please inform your SGA President or the admin about your whereabouts.

For all students  who are still on the islands, please get in touch with the administration/SGA Presidents. We need to inform the State Department of your whereabouts. We need this information ASAP. Please email us at coronaupdate@mail.sjsm.org at your earliest.

 

UPDATE (3/19 6.00 PM): CLINICAL STUDENTS: Please visit our moodle website for a list of FAQs. If you still have questions after this, please reach out to your advisor.

Clinical MySJSM

UPDATE (3/19 10.00 am): This is a reminder that the Anguilla ports will be closing Friday (3/20) night. For more information please reach out to:

US Honorary Consul: Steve and Suzie Donahue (264) 235 8177

Warden for Canadian Government: Mimi Gratton (264) 235 258

UPDATE (3/18 11.00 PM): As of today, the US has announced the US will close its border with Canada to “non-essential traffic”. Please reach out to the Clinical Dept. if you need to leave.

Trump Cancels all non essential travel between US and Canada

UPDATE (3/17 6.00 PM CST): The Anguilla Government has issued a statement saying that all ports air and sea will be in lock down starting Friday, March 20th. In light of this development, the SJSM Administration has decided to CANCEL all Block III exams. Instead, we will have an ONLINE AVAILABLE Block IV exam that covers the content for both Blocks as per the schedule. This would mean that students who appear for the ‘comprehensive’ Block IV exam would not need to redo the exam once they are back on their respective islands.

The SJSM administration has been notified of the closures of the Prometric Centers. We are currently working with the Prometric centers to discuss alternatives and will let students know as soon as we have an answer.

CLINICAL STUDENTS:  In light changes in some Hospital procedures, we have been notified that some students might have been affected. Please make yourself available for our Clinical Student Webinar at 2 pm CST tomorrow (3/18/2020) the link below:

Join us tomorrow for a QA with the administration

 

UPDATE (3/15 8.00 PM CST): The govt. of Anguilla is keeping its primary and secondary schools closed. This does not extend Saint James School of Medicine as of now. We will continue classes per schedule.

There is no official notification from the government of SVG as of yet. We are continually monitoring the situation. Please see this space for updates. We will have our student address as planned tomorrow.

UPDATE (3/15 10.00 AM CST): We have been in touch with the Vice Consul of the US Embassy in the Caribbean. This is a Level 3 Health Advisory, where ANY FORM OF TRAVEL SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED. The US Embassy has confirmed, as have the local governments, any travel bans are on people and travelers, and DO NOT EXTEND TO SUPPLY LINES both air and sea. This means that there shall be no hindrances of supplies coming into any islands despite airports and seaports being closed for commercial travel. Irrespective of your decision please fill out the form below (if you have not already).

US State Dept. Travel Advisory

Canadian Travel Advisory (SVG)

Canadian Travel Advisory (AXA)

UPDATE (3/14, 7.00 PM CST): As of 14th March, St. Maarten/St. Martin declared a travel ban that will be implemented for the United Kingdom, United States, and Europe for a period of two weeks. The ban takes effect on Tuesday, March 17th, 2020. As of now, this travel ban does not affect the island of Anguilla and airports in Anguilla will remain open. There are daily flights leaving the Anguilla airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico daily (except Tuesdays).

St. Maarten Travel Ban Announcement

St. Vincent has not been affected by any travel bans at the time of putting up this post.

We strongly encourage students to remain on the islands since the incidence of the virus in the Caribbean has remained controlled. Unnecessary travel is strongly discouraged.

As of March 13th, the President of the United States has declared a national emergency. In light of these new developments, we are allowing students to voluntarily leave their respective islands. Please note the campus will remain open and classes will continue as scheduled. Students who leave the campus will have the chance to complete their semesters online. At this juncture, we recommend that students stay on the islands, since the incidence of the COVID-19 is much less in the Caribbean, and there have been no cases on the respective campuses. Please pay attention to your school email for further information. There will be an information session on Monday at 12 pm Island time. If you have questions please contact coronaupdate@mail.sjsm.org.

We also discourage any form of travel. If you are planning to fly into the islands, you HAVE to self quarantine for 14 days before you can come back to campus.

 

______________________________________________________________________________

With all of the information reported in the media, anxiety and concern levels have certainly been elevated as the COVID-19 – a strain of Coronavirus – has caused health agencies to issue international alerts.

As of today, the risk of exposure to the virus in our community (USA and Caribbean) still remains low. Our best protection against the spread of illness continues to be intelligent prevention without panic. Saint James School of Medicine is monitoring the situation carefully. We are in constant contact with the country officials in both Anguilla and St. Vincent. It is apparent that the situation is serious; however, there is no cause for panic among the general population.

The following precautionary actions will help prevent respiratory viruses, including seasonal influenza and Coronavirus:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid unnecessary travel.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

For our part, some of the precautions we are taking include:

  • An increased frequency of cleaning and sterilization procedures throughout the campuses using CDC-recommended procedures, with an amplified focus on all high-volume touchpoints such as restrooms, entrance doors, handrails, and other commonly used areas.
  • Increased messaging to our community encouraging individuals to follow the safety precautions outlined by the CDC, which include frequent hand washing, regular hand sanitizing, staying home when sick and the avoidance of touching your face, eyes or mouth.
  • The monitoring of guidance from the CDC as well as our local officials regarding the best course of action for public places related to large gatherings. We will tailor our operations as needed to support any such recommendations.
  • Special training on procedures for medically qualified faculty members to react and respond to COVID-19 related symptoms.

 

Updates on the Current Situation

  • On Sunday, March 1st, the Ministry of Health in Anguilla (The Ministry) received reports of two confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus on the French Island of St. Martin and one case on the island of St. Barts.
  • There are no reported cases on the island of Anguilla.
  • On Wednesday, March 11th, we were informed by the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the occurrence of 1 confirmed case on the island. The patient has exhibited mild symptoms and has been placed in quarantine and is under observation by the Ministry of Health for several days already.
  • The entire Caribbean region has less than 15 cases reported thus far.
  • The number of cases in the Caribbean has remained steady and do not show signs of rapid spread as of now.
  • There has been no travel advisories for the Caribbean region from any of the US agencies such as the CDC and/or Department of Homeland Security

The admin/istration of Saint James School of Medicine is closely monitoring the developments of this rapidly evolving situation. We have contingency plans in place that shall kick in as and when required. As of now, we have received assurances from the local governments that it is safe for our faculty and staff and we will conduct our classes as usual.

It should also be noted that the local governments in Anguilla as well as St. Vincent, are acting decisively and swiftly, and are better prepared than many larger countries. We will follow the /directives of the local Government officials as well as recommendations from WHO and the CDC.

The welfare of our students, staff, and faculty is our utmost priority and we will act in their best interest. Please keep watching this space for further updates.

 

 


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