{"id":440,"date":"2020-06-29T23:08:29","date_gmt":"2020-06-29T23:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vi.gov\/covid\/?p=440"},"modified":"2020-07-06T15:39:57","modified_gmt":"2020-07-06T15:39:57","slug":"governor-bryan-warns-residents-to-mask-up-for-long-fourth-of-july-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vi.gov\/covid\/news-post\/governor-bryan-warns-residents-to-mask-up-for-long-fourth-of-july-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"Governor Bryan Warns Residents to \u2018Mask Up\u2019 For Long Fourth of July Weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS \u2014 Governor Albert Bryan Jr. said during his weekly COVID-19 update that at this point he is not planning to close the beaches for the long July 4th<\/sup> weekend, but he warned residents to \u201cMask Up\u201d if they plan to celebrate the holiday at the beach or elsewhere.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cThe only thing that is giving me pause to shut down the beaches is that we only have four active cases and the other 50% of cases we found other than food service workers are travelers,\u201d Governor Bryan said. \u201cWe would have seen these traveling cases no matter what we did. I am also given some level of comfort knowing that we have a \u2018No Mask, No Service\u2019 policy in place.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cI would be disingenuous if I did not share with you that the virus is very much alive in our community, and the place that you are most likely to get it is anywhere you don\u2019t have your mask on, so Mask Up,\u201d the Governor said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Governor Bryan said the Territory has seen a 20% increase in COVID-19 cases from May and that 50% of the people who have contracted the virus have been associated with the food service industry.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cIn fact, the most vulnerable place that you can be is a bar or restaurant, as this is the only place that you don\u2019t have to wear a mask,\u201d Governor Bryan said. \u201cIronically, though, it is the workers who are turning up with the virus. Please, if you work in a bar or restaurant, please keep your masks on and wash your hands frequently.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

School Reopening Survey<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Governor Bryan also asked residents \u2013 parents, students and teachers \u2013 to take the Virgin Islands Department of Education survey about the reopening of schools, which can be found on the department\u2019s website at www.vide.vi<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Department of Education currently is considering three options for conducting the 2020-2021 school year in the public schools: in-person learning; long-distance or online learning; or a combination of the two.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Department also has convened a school reopening advisory board that includes local and national health and safety professionals and other key stakeholders to ensure the Territory can safely reopen schools in August.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cThis is a matter of great concern and high priority for us at this moment as we continue to monitor the spread of the virus on the mainland and here in the Territory,\u201d Governor Bryan said. \u201cWhat we do concerning the reopening of the schools in August is solely dependent on what happens with the virus in June and July.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Stimulus checks<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n