There are currently seven active cases on St. John – five traced to community contact, five travel related, and two under investigation. Five others who previously tested positive have recovered. On a positive note, twenty-nine people on St. John were tested over the weekend, and all of the tests were negative!
The Governor said he has received many calls from the community asking what more can be done for the safety of our residents and guests, and expressing concerns that the current policies and restrictions have not gone far enough. The Governor stressed that we have measures in place, but we need to give them time to work, and said that the last round of restrictions is having an effect.
According to the Governor, our numbers reflect that our efforts are having an impact on slowing the spread of the virus, and we have to see what the numbers reveal this coming week before taking more drastic steps, such as another shut down.
“We are all being touched in some way by this virus,” the Governor said. “We will do what we have to do to keep you safe, and we will continue to monitor restrictions and will shut it down if necessary, but we haven’t reached that time yet.”
When asked by a reporter what will happen to travelers who arrive without test results, the Governor said, “We never said we are going to divert anyone who doesn’t have test results; if anyone doesn’t have the screening, we tell you to stay home.”
The Governor acknowledged that there were issues implementing the new testing policy at the airport, but said the procedures are now in place due to the coordinated efforts with the Department of Tourism, Department of Health, and the Virgin Islands Port Authority. He said they have figured out the issues and are now moving forward. Travelers can expect to be asked for their testing documentation if they reside in one of the target states testing at least 10% positive for the virus. To see if your state requires testing, click here.
According to the Department of Health, symptoms appear within 2-14 days of contact. Taking the test too early may result in a false negative, so it is best to wait three to five days after exposure. In the meantime, if one is concerned that they may have been exposed to the virus, they should quarantine for 14 days, or until receipt of a negative test result.
A representative from the Health Commissioner’s office was asked if our territory is aware of a second peak in the virus, and she stated, “We have not run a new model to see if there’s another peak, mostly because it has been shown to be mostly unreliable and mostly inaccurate. We are tracking our cases closely to see the trend.”
The Governor encourages everyone to be a good faith partner by complying with the guidelines issued. If you see anyone who is not in compliance, please contact the Department of Heath or Department of Consumer Affairs.
“This is like a never-ending hurricane,” said Governor Bryan. “Covid is real, and it’s out there.”
Be safe. Practice social distancing. Wear your mask.
Hello! Trying to decide whether to visit on August 8. We realize it will be a different experience. We were there in March and left early due to the virus as flights were getting cancelled to get home. We keep seeing mixed messages on social media…stay home! don’t spread the virus! come to the island! we need tourism, especially after the hurricane! What’s your take? St. John, like so many feel, is our favorite place in the world! We obviously want to come but don’t want to get there and have all the locals upset with us. Thank you for any light you can shed on this for me!