[9] On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.
[23][24] On 29 March, the government banned the sale of alcoholic beverages, as well as suspending all liquor licenses, and closing all bars.
[27] On 1 April 2020, the Prime Minister announced that mini-marts and bakeries would be open for a limited time to allow people to buy goods.
[28] On 2 April, St. Lucians queued up in long lines outside the briefly opened shops, mostly ignoring the prime minister's calls to practice social distancing.
[29] On 5 April, the Queen of Saint Lucia addressed the Commonwealth in a televised broadcast, in which she asked people to "take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return".
[30] On 8 April, a social stabilization program was announced for people who had become unemployed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, or who were vulnerable, and an economic support package for businesses.
Sarah Flood Beaubrun, Minister for External Affairs, announced that they were working with the United States and Canada to return Saint Lucians stranded abroad.
The government added hardware and home supply stores to the list of businesses permitted to operate, to allow preparation for the drought and hurricane season.
[34] On 22 April, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar-George announced that all 15 of the country's confirmed cases had recovered, including those at high risk because of their age or preexisting conditions.
The Cabinet of Saint Lucia agreed to cut their salary by 75% due to the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of income from tourism.
[37] On 24 April, the Ministry of Health announced: "Though this 100 percent recovery rate provides us with a milestone worth recognizing, we at the Ministry of Health continue to caution the public that any gains attained should not be understood as a reason to let down our guard or to throw caution to the wind."
Curfew hours were changed as well to 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Schools and cinemas remained closed and mass crowd events were still prohibited.
He also announced the reopening of cinemas, early childhood development centers, and sporting events, subject to protocols.
On 11 August 2020, the Ministry of Health and Wellness announced the country had achieved a 100 percent recovery rate from COVID-19, with no new cases reported from the testing of 99 individuals.
[55] On 10 October 2020, a minibus driver on the Castries to Vieux Fort route tested positive as St. Lucia's 29th confirmed case of COVID-19.
[56][57] The Royal Saint Lucian Police Force (RSLPF) announced zero tolerance enforcement of COVID-19 protocols starting 12 October.
In response, the Ministry of Education ordered schools to remain closed for an additional two weeks, with reopening scheduled Monday, 9 November.
[70] Starting on 14 November, the RSLPF hired 200 wardens to enforce compliance with COVID-19 protocols in communities with the power of arrest.
Stating that COVID-19 restrictions were causing substantial losses, they demanded removal of the current limit of 10 passengers per bus or some other form of compensation.
[77] At the same time, Chief Medical Officer Belmar-George announced that St. Lucia has turned down the curve on COVID-19 transmission, but she also noted that the Christmas season presents a period of high risk.
[84][85] On 1 March 2021, the Government of Saint Lucia received 25,000 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the Republic of India.
[4] On the week of 4 May 2021, the Ministry of Health began administering vaccine first doses to the general public aged 18 years and older.
[87][88] On 13 August 2021, the Ministry of Health reported that it confirmed the presence of the delta variant in Saint Lucia for the first time, with three persons infected.
[89] On 17 August, the Government of Saint Lucia received 52,650 doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine, donated by the United States.
[90] On 23 August, the Ministry of Health began offering to Pfizer vaccine to persons aged 12 years and older.