~Results will be available within 24 to 48 hours.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Sucker Garden Road is backed up with traffic as persons line up in their vehicles to get tested for the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. After the weekend-long holiday persons that have flu-like symptoms have decided to get tested.
Those persons that were tested even if they are recovering were told to stay at home while they will receive their results between 24 to 48 hours from the time they tested. The active cases are expected to increase by this afternoon when the results are released.
St. Maarten is currently experiencing its fifth wave of the virus, and while the Omicron is less deadly it is far more contagious than the other variants. Up to December 31st, there was 2 reported hospitalization with 543 active cases.
