Governor Albert Bryan announced today that the Stay at Home order (orange phase) is extended another week and is now set to expire at 8:00 am on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. Additional information will be provided at the press conference on Monday, August 31, 2020. We will keep you posted!
Keri LaMar
Seasonal Restaurant Closure List
We present to you the highly anticipated Seasonal Restaurant Closure List! In spite of all the many obstacles faced by our restaurants this year, we are happy to share that most will remain open during off-season, which typically runs until Thanksgiving week.
Early next week we anticipate – or at least our fingers are crossed – that our Governor will lift the policy requiring restaurants to remain closed except for take-out, and allow them to reopen for full service dining again.
The restaurant owners who plan to stay open say they are doing so as long as it makes sense, and is in the best interest of their employees, our guests, and our community. Of course, like with everything in 2020, we are all just taking it day by day!
Tropical Depression 13 Update
Invest 98L has been upgraded to Tropical Depression 13 and will likely arrive near or just north of St. John early Saturday morning, with sustained winds of 50-60 miles per hour. It is expected to be named Tropical Storm Laura later today.
Forecasters anticipate that we will receive 1 to 3 inches of water from the storm, with up to 5 inches in some isolated areas, which most of us will happily accept on behalf of our empty cisterns!
Please keep a close eye on this storm, as they can escalate very quickly.
At this time, our airport and ferries remain open.
Invest 98L Likely to Make an Appearance End of Week
Well folks, it’s that time of year! We have been watching a weather system developing off the coast of Africa that shows potential to put our storm preparations to the test.
Currently named Invest 98L, it is located about 900 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. According to the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA), conditions are favorable for development, and a tropical depression is likely to form over the next couple of days as the system moves west/west-north-west at around 15 to 20 miles per hour, landing on our doorstep by Friday.
There’s a 70% chance of formation in the next 48 hours, and a 90% chance over the next five days. We will keep you posted as the system progresses!
For those currently on island, VITEMA will be distributing sand bags between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm at the Coral Bay Fire Station and Department of Public Works in Susannaberg.
Stay at Home Goes into Effect Today
Our territory reverted back to the Stay at Home phase and began a two-week lock-down of non-essential businesses today. According to Governor Bryan, this decision was necessary to protect the health and safety of our community to stop and slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Governor spent much of the press conference reiterating the policies set forth at last Thursday’s press conference regarding the two-week Stay at Home phase, and the 30-day ban on guests checking into hotels, airbnbs, villas, and guest houses, which begins Wednesday, August 19, 2020. If you missed it, you can read the entire summary here.
Beaches will remain open during regular hours during the week, and weekends and holidays from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm. The Governor stressed that he does not want to close the beaches entirely, but will do so if he feels it becomes necessary. If you elect to go to the beach during the Stay at Home phase, he requests that you take a quick dip and return home thereafter.
Territory Reverts Back to “Stay at Home’ Phase this Monday
Effective Monday, August 17, 2020 at 6:00 am, the territory will revert to the Stay-at Home phase in an effort to reduce the recent spike we’ve seen in the number of positive COVID-19 cases on St. John and St. Thomas. The governor stated that we can expect to remain in this new phase for at least a month, and all non-essential businesses are ordered closed for at least two weeks.
Effective immediately, hotels, AirBnbs, and guest houses are hereby ordered to cease accepting new reservations for the next 30 days, and on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, these establishments are barred from checking in any new guests for 30 days except for business related travelers, and government and emergency workers. Local residents are restricted to essential travel only.
Restaurants will be limited to take-out and delivery only, and beaches are ordered to close on the weekends and holidays at 12:00 pm. No more than 10 individuals can be in any public place at the same time with the exception of the grocery stores. All schools are ordered closed.
Read moreTerritory Reverts Back to “Stay at Home’ Phase this Monday
New COVID-19 Mandates
Governor Bryan began today’s press conference by addressing rumors regarding various closures in the territory. This afternoon, he released the latest mandates regarding restaurants, boaters, masks, and funerals:
- Restaurants
While the COVID-19 task force entertained the concept of limiting restaurants to take-out only, they decided against penalizing a majority of the restaurants as a result of the violations of a few. Instead, starting immediately, restaurants are on notice that DLCA officers will be strictly enforcing all applicable restaurant policies currently in place, and violators will be subject to complete closure of their restaurant for thirty days without an opportunity for a hearing during that time. The task force will also be reviewing the data to determine if certain restaurants can increase their outdoor-seating capacity, and whether restaurants with proper sanitization equipment can resume the use of glass and silverware.
- Boaters
Effective immediately, boaters are prohibited from ‘rafting’ (tying vessels together) in all bays and anchorages in the territory. Additionally, vessels must maintain at least 12 feet between them at all times, except in the case of emergency, and vessels cannot anchor in designated swim areas. Violators may be assessed up to $10,000.00 per incident.
Government House Clarifies Rumors
Rumors have been circulating on social media over the last few days about a governmental closure of restaurants and beaches in our community. The Government House issued a statement in response, stating that “Neither Governor Albert Byran Jr., Government House nor the administration’s COVID-19 Task Force have made any official announcements concerning beach closures, added restrictions to restaurants’ current operations or further restrictions on gatherings at funerals or other events in the territory.” The statement also noted that future action may be taken depending upon the outcome of the data compiled over the coming days.
Additional information will be released at the Governor’s press conference on Monday, August 10, 2020 at 1:00 pm. We will post our summary shortly thereafter, and will keep you posted about any new developments.
Today’s Update from Governor Bryan
The Governor’s weekly press conference focused largely on domestic, non-COVID related issues. There are currently two active cases on St. John, nine of which were traced to community contact, three from close contact, and five travel-related. No new restrictions on visitors were issued this week, and there was no mention of when the current conditions will be lifted or amended.
The Virgin Islands Port Authority encourages all travelers to complete their health travel forms prior to their trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The form is available on the USVI Travel Portal website and can be downloaded here.
Curfew lifted, ports remain closed
Good morning! As of 6:00 am, the roads are clear and the curfew has been lifted. The ports are closed until further notice; we will let you know when they re-open. The airports remain open.
According to the Governor, the ocean is not safe for swimming today due to remaining swells, but there are many other enjoyable ways to spend your day! Help support our local economy with some shopping, go for a hike on one of our many trails, or learn about some of the fascinating and important St. Johnian history at Annaberg Sugar Plantation.
