U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS \u2013 At a press conference on Thursday, July 15, at the Public Finance Authority on St. Thomas, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. issued new protocols for travel between the British Virgin Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands regarding proof of a negative COVID-19 test for entry into the USVI.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Because of the ongoing aggressive increase of COVID-19 cases in the BVI, Governor Bryan has shortened the time period for legitimate COVID-19 test results to enter the USVI from the British commonwealth from 5 days.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Until further notice, persons traveling from the BVI into the USVI must present test results obtained within 48 hours of traveling that show a negative COVID-19 for those who are not vaccinated or a positive antibody test for those who are vaccinated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cRight now, we are\u00a0 under full watch for what is going on in the British Virgin Islands. The current situation, ladies and gentlemen, is not good, and that\u2019s putting it lightly,\u201d Governor Bryan said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
As of July 14, the British Virgin Islands reported 1,559 active cases, including three COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours. The highest number of active cases reported to date in the USVI was about 200, and the U.S. Territory is about three times the size of the British Commonwealth, Governor Bryan said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cOver 100 of their hospital workers are either with COVID or quarantined because they may have been exposed to the virus. Their positivity rate for the last week and a half exceeds 17 percent compared to us in the Virgin islands, which is at 3 percent, which is not that good either,\u201d Governor Bryan said. \u201cWe\u2019re doing everything we can do to help the British Virgin Islands. I have been on the phone with the State Department, the Delegate has been reaching out trying to get assistance from D.C. They are a foreign port and it makes it extremely difficult for us to send over any resources that we have.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The Governor said he is in constant communication with FEMA, the CDC and Health and Human Services to see what assistance the USVI can give to the BVI.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n