Virus Updates Archives | News of St. John

Travel Tip: COVID Testing and Proof of Vaccination Are NOT Required for Entry to USVI

September 28, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Hello, hello!

I know, I know, this is OLD news for a lot of you! But I have received a ton of messages just this week of folks asking about requirements for entering the USVI. Some are new followers of the blog, and some are first time visitors to St. John and some just simply have not visited Love City since before the pandemic. So, welcome and welcome back everyone! Either way, after an influx in messages this week, I went to the USVI Travel Portal to see what is posted there and it actually doesn’t exist anymore. And the COVID link leads to nowhere on the USVI Department of Travel website. So….

In order to travel into the USVI you DO NOT need the following:

COVID-19 test
Proof of Vaccination
Travel Portal QR Code
Passport (Although, these are helpful for getting into a potentially shorter customs line for your flight back home!)

So, coming to visit us here in Love City is just as simple as it always has been in the good old pre-pandemic days. Then US Virgin Islands entered the Open Doors phase back in May of 2022, getting rid of the travel portal, testing and vaccination requirements.

Again- Sorry if this is redundant for many of you, but I wanted to put it out there for everyone who has been asking! I’m sure there are more that I haven’t heard from 🙂

USVI Travel Portal – No More! The USVI Enters “Open Doors Phase”

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! I hope that all of you had an absolutely fantastic holiday weekend! Today, I have some truly wonderful news for all of you domestic travelers out there. As of today, May 31, 2022, the USVI Travel Portal will no longer be a requirement for those of you traveling to the USVI from the states!

Governor Bryan Lifts Mask Mandate For Indoor Spaces

March 16, 2022March 16, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! And it is an absolutely beautiful morning here on St. John! Two weeks ago, the USVI Mask Mandate requiring masks in outdoor spaces was lifted. And, as of Governor Bryan’s weekly press briefing on Monday, we are pretty much mask free on St. John 🙂 There are a few exceptions to this restriction, or lack thereof. But, we are makin’ big moves back into the realm of normalcy here in the US Virgin Islands!

New Travel Protocol Clarifications

March 8, 2022March 8, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! A TON of you have been writing in with upcoming travel on the horizon with questions in regards to the new vaccination protocols for travel. And I apologize for the lack of response but I really didn’t know the answers until yesterday morning when the USVI Travel Portal updated to reflect the new changes.

COVID-19 Update: Governor Bryan Relaxes Masking and Travel Protocols

March 3, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Two years. Two freaking years. The first weekend of March in 2020, we were dancing in the sand at Maho Crossroads and on the mountain at The Windmill Bar during VI Jam Fest. We were hugging our friends and seeing their smiling faces. We were hearing snippets of an illness spreading through the states, specifically in New York. We had no idea what was coming next.

A few weeks later, we learned about wearing a mask, taking stabs to the nose in order to travel, staying six feet away from the people we love. The social butterflies within us were diminished like moths getting too close to the flame. We lost loved ones, we stayed at home, we kept face masks in our wallets, our purses, our cars. We wondered when it would end.

Well, the pandemic surely isn’t completely over. But, this week, the US Virgin Islands are taking giant steps in the direction of normalcy once again.

COVID UPDATE: Travel Restrictions Eased as of February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Hello Hello! If you are traveling into the territory soon, I have some good news for you! You know that pesky 72 hour window for COVID testing? Well, as of today, February 2, 2022, we can say goodbye to that stressful process as the territory eases back to the five day window for testing as you prepare for travel to Love City 🙂

Important Testing Clarification: PCR AND RAPID Tests are Both OK!

January 8, 2022January 8, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Happy Weekend to you all! I normally try to take the weekends off…from at least this job 🙂 But, I saw a ton of comments on the post from Thursday that are basically just false. And, for those of your with upcoming trips on the horizon, I wanted to give you a quick update about the type of test necessary to get into the territory.

COVID on St. John- Last Minute Cancellations and Restaurant Closures

January 7, 2022January 6, 2022 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! Due to the recent (January 3) changes in protocols, I have written a lot about the testing requirements to get into the territory recently. And many of you have scrambled and made those quick turnaround tests happen! But, what I haven’t mentioned is the effects of this current surge in the territory, on St. John specifically. And there is some definite news you can use here, especially if you are currently on island or planning a last minute trip!

Your Travel Testing Questions Answered

December 29, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

Hello All! I understand that MANY of you with upcoming arrival dates in Love City have questions in regards to yesterday’s COVID-19 update. So, just to be certain of all of the answers, I called the Department of Tourism this morning to get some clarification on the testing protocols as they stand AS OF January 3, 2022.

COVID-19 Update- Important Changes to Travel Testing

December 28, 2021December 28, 2021 by Hillary Bonner

Good Morning, Good Morning! Yesterday afternoon, Governor Bryan made some announcements about some restrictions for bars & restaurants and COVID-19 travel testing changes that you need to be aware of if you are traveling into the territory over the next 30 days. We ALL have COVID fatigue. I totally get it. But, in the past week the territory has gone from a 1.6% positivity rate to 11.6%. And, although Omicron is seemingly not as hazardous as the previous strains we have dealt with (hospitalizations in the territory remain low!), it is still spreading like wildfire and the USVI, as of yesterday’s announcement, is at the highest number of positive cases since the beginning of the pandemic.