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Quarantine for unvaccinated travellers extended from 4 to 7 days

- Health Minister says travel parties with vaccinated & unvaccinated persons will be treated as unvaccinated
Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Carvin Malone (AL) has announced that the quarantine period for unvaccinated travellers to the Virgin Islands has increased from 4 to 7 days effective May 15, 2021. Photo: VINO/File
Hon Carvin Malone said the territory will continue to sound the alarm that vaccination is our best defence against the relentless COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: GIS/File
Hon Carvin Malone said the territory will continue to sound the alarm that vaccination is our best defence against the relentless COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: GIS/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Carvin Malone (AL) has announced that the quarantine period for unvaccinated travellers to the Virgin Islands (VI) has increased from 4 to 7 days effective May 15, 2021.

In a COVID-19 travel update on Friday, May 7, 2021, he said the move comes, “After carefully considering both the wish to re-open the Territory to tourism and the need to mitigate the risks arising from increased travel, particularly arising from new COVID-19 variants.”

More policies will also apply to persons travelling in mixed groups of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.

Less quarantine for partially vaccinated persons 

“Where people are travelling in mixed groups with some individuals unvaccinated, the entire party will be treated as unvaccinated and will also be required to quarantine for seven (7) days upon arrival,” Hon Malone said.

He said in the case of persons who are only partially vaccinated with one dose of a two-dose vaccine, or whose final vaccine dose was administered less than two weeks before arriving in the territory, they will be required to undergo a 4-day quarantine period, with PCR testing administered on arrival and on day 4.

The Health Minister also announced that the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has also presented recommendations for rapid or PCR testing for frontline workers and Public Officers and that the territory will continue to sound the alarm that vaccination is our best defence against the relentless COVID-19 pandemic. 

Vaccination is the best defence - Hon Malone 

“New, more aggressive strains continue to emerge, as the virus mutates and spreads rapidly from one region of the world to another, increasing the risk of severe sickness and death,” he said.

As of May 5 2021, at the Dr. D Orlando Smith Hospital administered 30,814 tests and of these, 219 were confirmed positive with just 25 active confirmed cases currently in the territory.  

22 Responses to “Quarantine for unvaccinated travellers extended from 4 to 7 days ”

  • The watchdog (08/05/2021, 11:57) Like (30) Dislike (27) Reply
    Get vaccinated people bottom line
  • Momma Dee (08/05/2021, 12:22) Like (98) Dislike (17) Reply
    Bully tactic to further try and force vaccinations on the people. The 4-day quarantine was working just fine. Smh.
  • Haunted (08/05/2021, 12:24) Like (26) Dislike (8) Reply
    You mean to tell me that by now we shouldn't have already came up with a game plan we could stick too?
    Minister , what is your strategy ,besides hunting through the hay stock trying to find the needle that is marked mandatory, which you would never find.?.
    • Mix up government (08/05/2021, 13:35) Like (25) Dislike (3) Reply
      They need to take their time and plan. They are looking mix up and confused,. This is neither a farword strategy or an appropriate balance..It's only 2 weeks ago they said fully vaccinated visitors will spend one day in quarantine just to get their arrival test, this was a good forward thinking balance, That did make sense,. now they are saying this . Seems like when we take 3 steps forward we then take 4 steps backwards,,,7 days is totally unnecessary...
  • burn (08/05/2021, 13:31) Like (37) Dislike (6) Reply
    This minister only go serve 1 term. If a traveler hasn't taken vaccine and test is found negative why the quarantine for? Ppl who vaccinated can still catch the virus and transmit it but when you are not so educated it will show making u look like a clown in a suit
    • @ burn (08/05/2021, 14:07) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
      I concur ......
    • @burn (08/05/2021, 14:32) Like (15) Dislike (5) Reply
      Actually you are the real clown in the suit. It often takes several days to get COVID symptoms and to get a positive test after a person has caught the virus.
    • @burn (08/05/2021, 21:20) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      This reminds me of the story I read as a child...The Emperor's New Clothes
  • Wait what (08/05/2021, 14:05) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
    Wait
    Soo CDC preaching vaccine doesn’t prevent one from getting the virus.
    But only helps one from becoming severely ill from COVID 19

    Soo what we seeing here is vaccinated who would be carrying the virus the still won’t need to be quarantined.

    This bs is not going to fly.
    • Trew (09/05/2021, 11:58) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      You know if our ignorant ppl got vaccinated it wouldn’t matter who came here. The tourists have more to fear from us than we do from them. Polio vaccines aren’t 100% effective but you’d be an idiot to not take it just cos something isn’t 100%.
  • nonsense (08/05/2021, 17:54) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    This will only discourage tourist. I dont see why if they are quarantine and test positive within the 4 days there is no danger to the public. Tou just want to push a only vaccine entry to come Tortola. We always the most difficult country in the Caribbean like we have gold here and you must obey or else loose your opporrunity to be Rich
    • @nonsense (08/05/2021, 21:00) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
      Over one hundred million (a third) of US citizens are fully vaccinated. More have already had the first vaccine. Fully vaccinated people only have to quarantine here overnight while waiting for results, The seven day rule is only for those not vaccinated. What is the problem with that?????
      • king (09/05/2021, 11:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Who cares what they do in the US? they are not the only place ppl come here from. You’re saying two thirds of them not vaccinated. Sounds like a dangerous place to me.
    • Wait (09/05/2021, 06:55) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      The tourist are vaccinating, it’s us residents that are not.
  • wow (08/05/2021, 20:44) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    makes no sense.
  • DEAD GOVERNMENT (08/05/2021, 23:06) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
    This is BS
  • Astounded (09/05/2021, 02:42) Like (16) Dislike (5) Reply
    The level of vaccine ignorance in the BVI is truly astounding.
  • If They Only Know (09/05/2021, 11:59) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    MUST WATCH ON NETFLIX "THE BARRIER"

    EDUCATE YOURSELF PLEASE!!!
  • Fedup with the BS (09/05/2021, 20:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    So other than to frustrate people into taking the vaccine what is the rational behind moving the quarantine period to 7 days? Are we saying the 4 days was not effective?
    • rrrr (10/05/2021, 15:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Fedup; that is exactly what we're saying. Of the current 24 active cases, many of those were picked up on day 4 testing and some were picked up on exit testing. 4 days is not long enough for non vaccinated people who are potentially carrying this disease to be detected. The safest way is obviously to be vaccinated. After that it is a longer quarantine.
  • home boy (11/05/2021, 11:29) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    MSH it makes more sense than you will imagine, you want the place just open up then we have problems. Covid 19 will be with us for a while, the Government is doing a superb job keeping us safe so far.


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