UPDATE: VI travellers to USVI must submit negative PCR tests taken within 48 hrs of travel
![Governor of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) Mr. Albert Bryan Jr. will today, July 15, 2021, announce new travel protocols for persons traveling between the USVI and [British] Virgin Islands. Photo: Internet Source](https://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/cache/images/800x_s_Screenshot_20210715_at_11.32.28_AM.png)
His warning came following his announcement on Thursday, 15 July 2021, that there were changes for persons travelling from the VI because of the high active cases of COVID-19. There are now 1559 active COVID-19 cases in the VI.
“Effective Monday, anyone entering the USVI from the BVI will have to submit a negative test within 48 hours of departure. We are still accepting the positive antibody test as we are doing with all our regular portal travel for other places, but we are going to be taking extra caution, and please don’t try to game the system. We have already made one arrest, and we will make others for people trying to forge their way into the USVI,” he remarked.
Previously, persons travelling to the USVI from the VI were required to submit a negative PCR test taken within 5 days of travel.
Commenting on the ferry capacity, Governor Bryan said they thought seriously about reducing it, but “we thought better of it because all the people who are coming should have had a test within 48 hours of their departure.”
Our newsroom clarified with Government House in the USVI whether the PCR tests uploaded to the USVI travel portal have to be for a test taken within 48 hours and they have confirmed this to be so.
USVI residents wanted payback!
“A lot of people have called me and try to say now is the time to get even with the BVI for what they do to our sailors, our fishermen but now is not the time for that, now is the time to be responsible as global citizens to our community friends and family over in the BVI,” Governor Bryan stated.
“So I am asking the people who are coming over whether it is on water taxis or whatever, captains, we will arrest you if you don’t have a negative COVID-19 test, please do not enter our waters. We are not playing. We are one people, but we have to protect the Virgin Islands and the people who are coming and going from the USVI to our British brothers and sisters.”
Prayers up!
“Let us all take some time today, whatever religion you are, to pray for our brothers and sisters in the BVI. It is not an easy thing to deal with. Let us pray for their leadership, that they would have the wisdom, the discernment, to guide their people through this most difficult time,” he said in parting words.
He reminded persons that anyone making it to the USVI are eligible for vaccines at no cost to them but warned travellers “who are going over to the BVI our suggestion to you is stay safe if you are vaccinated, that is one thing… but we are not encouraging people to go over to that situation.”
The USVI has just over 120 active COVID-19 cases.
See previous article published July 15, 2021
USVI Governor to announce USVI/VI interisland travel protocols today
-Press conference will be carried like on CBN 90.9 FM and Flow channel 101
Governor of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) Mr Albert A. Bryan Jr will today, July 15, 2021, announce new travel protocols for persons traveling between the USVI and [British] Virgin Islands.
The announcement will come during a press conference at the Public Finance Authority conference room on St Thomas at 1:00 pm and will be streamed online via Facebook and in the Virgin Islands on CBN 90.9FM and channel 101 Flow TV.
The Livestream for the event can be accessed via the USVI Government Facebook page at facebook.com/GovernmentHouseUSVI
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56 Responses to “UPDATE: VI travellers to USVI must submit negative PCR tests taken within 48 hrs of travel”
Vaccine + Negative test = Entry
Would you all stop! The ship is sinking and allyuh pointing fingers! Where did he say vaccinated or unvaccinated? Every man jack in the same boat. We just fostering division when there should be more unity!
Bryan and the USVI is playing tit for tat after how we treated them when we slammed the borders shut on them. Some called St. Thomas Corona city.
The BVI like the UK Government only has one solution: Vaccination. The difference is the UK has the health care system if that solution fails but what we have?
We had 2 years to prepare for this eventuality and we claimed we spent tens of millions so where the money gone? We need to get medical experts on board to help us in these times and quit the pussyfooting with people's lives. Gimme break!
I see why they call us stupid in the BVI. During the first week of July the BVI accepted ferry loads of vaccinated visitors to our shores and they were allowed to walk free into the territory with the foolish notion that vaccinated people cannot spread COVID.
The ferrys were allowed full to capacity, zero social distancing. Now see the monster it has created. Visitors from the SVI helped to escalate our Covid cases here, now they setting restrictions. I really cannot blame them.
All I have to say is where there is no vision the people perish.
Anyone includes US citizens too …
Time to show the Danish West Indies who made them. FYI all the Ferries are VI ( Tortola Based , including Native Son, who parks their boats in Baughers Bay and their founder roots are from Tortola) . We built them, the first president of UVI was a Tortolian, lot of the prominent people in the Danish West Indies from Tortola, Anegda, JVD, VG. you have no clue of what you speak. You are as incompetent as one term Bryan