 The Government of St. Lucia has launched a national competition aimed at getting St. Lucia's to heed the message of wearing a mask as the nation combats the COVID-19. Details in this report. Prime Minister Hon. Balalan Chastney has issued a rallying call to all St. Lucia's amid the most trying time for the nation. The Office of the Prime Minister has launched the Mask on Challenge COVID Edition. The national competition is geared toward not only stimulating creative interest in mask designing but importantly getting St. Lucia's to wear masks in the fight against COVID-19. The wearing of mask the World Health Organization advises protects against respiratory droplets from someone when they talk, cough or sneeze. These droplets expel into the air and evaporate into fine particles that may linger. The mask traps these droplets before they can evaporate. In fighting COVID is the singularly most important thing because we know that it works. The Mask on Challenge coincides with the observance of the island's 42nd Independence anniversary. Hon. Balalan Chastney says the nation is at a critical crossroad with the pandemic shaping a new reality for St. Lucia and as such every St. Lucia must join the national effort to ensure the island emerges better than before. The theme for this year's independence is a resilient nation. We can. We will. And I think the same way that we raise a flag is the same way we must understand that this independence we must wear a mask. So from people who do it because they love their mother or they love their siblings or they love somebody who is not so well in their own household and they're doing it to protect them. But most importantly we do it because we love our country and you know COVID has taken away all the things that we love. Wearing masks along with hand sanitizing and physical distancing are simple measures proven to protect against the coronavirus. And the message is heightening in St. Lucia. There has been tremendous response to the Mask on Challenge with scores submitting TikTok videos. Videos on the Mask of Challenge can be found at maskonchallenge underscore SLU. From the Government Information Service, Lisa Joseph reporting.