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.
Teddy and I were out on term charter for seven days on Vita this past week and we brought our guests in to Cruz Bay for dinner on Monday night. After days on the water, I was a bit more disconnected than I generally am. So, when I heard hoots and hollers from the back of a pick up truck about mask mandates going out the window, I stopped the fun loving gang to find out what was going on.
On Monday afternoon, at his weekly briefing, Governor Bryan lifted the mask mandates for outdoor venues. No more masks at the beach bars, in the parks or at any venue with less than three walls. Finally.
Once again at the pre-game shows for VI Jam Fest last night, we saw our friends’ smiling faces behind the bar and all over the mountaintop at the Windmill Bar. It was a glorious slice of normal. It felt, for a moment, like none of this had happened.
Now, to be clear, the mask mandates have NOT been completely lifted. They are still required in indoor spaces such as grocery stores and enclosed restaurants and on public transportation such as ferries and taxis. They are also still required in the terminal at the airport and at the seaports. The following is the February 28, 2022 amendment to the original Executive Order from March of 2020:
Ok, now onto other VERY exciting news! Beginning on March 7, 2022, if you are fully vaccinated you DO NOT need to supply a negative COVID-19 test in order to travel into the US Virgin Islands!!! Are you doing a happy dance? Cause I’m over here doing all of the happy dances! (I wish I could put emojis in these posts. Ha!)
A valid proof of vaccination will be required and you must still use the travel portal to upload your documents and get the green code for clearance. But, no more stress of COVID tests and scrambling at the last minute to get on your flight. Can I get a heck yea?
Now, if you or any members of your party are not vaccinated, you will not be denied entry. Those who are unvaccinated will still need to upload a negative COVID test taken within five days of departure. For updated information on all things travel in relation to COVID in the US Virgin Islands, please check the USVI Travel Portal.
I want to say thank you to so many of you who have reached out over the past two years. The COVID-19 coverage has been, at times, pretty heavy and not something I enjoy writing about. But, it is necessary information that needs to be shared. And SO many of you have reached out to say how helpful it has been. So, thank you for your kind words and encouragement along the way. and thank you, thank you, thank you to all who have respectfully visited us and abided by the rules in place that we all have lived with for the past two years. This is the moment we have all been waiting for. And, hopefully, this will be on of the last dwindling COVID-19 updates I will have to write 🙂
Heck yea. Assume news, thank you thank you. See you in 3 weeks. Lets hope the BVIs follow suit.
Hilary-If children are not vaccinated, do they still need a negative covid test to travel?
Would I be correct to say that the requirement for a negative test still exists for travelers coming to the USVI from a foreign country? And does this new change only apply to traveling to the USVI from elsewhere in the U.S. (a state or another territory)? This would be an important distinction.
Is fully vaccinated 2 or 3 shots?
Awesome News, Thank You Thank You Hillary for the wonderful updates.
Lets Hope the BVI’s follow suit.
Good afternoon,
how do i get to the travel portal and upload my documents?
I have a dock-it app on my phone. Will that work?
May you can help.
Enjoy the island
[email protected]
thank you
do folks travelers to be boosted, or just have received 2 doses of pfizer or moderna or 1 dose of j&j?
Thank you for posting this very important, and relevant update.
Fantastic news! We are coming down on the 12th and are thrilled that we can just produce the vaccination cards rather than the stress inducing tests for travel. Thank you for the update!
I couldn’t find where the USVI Portal had this updated information. It still states testing 5 days before flying in. Will the website be updated soon?
So happy for this news. Thanks for all the updates
So happy for this news. Thanks for all the updates. Will be there next month.
Great news! My question is: can I download my vaccine info anytime prior to my arrival or do I need to wait just days before traveling?? Please let me know and thank you!
Can I get an Hallelujah!!!
Is there any time frame on submitting vaccination proof. Not traveling till April and have seen a lot of posts about the Portal having problems right now.
Thank you for all your great information
And yes I am doing the happy dance
Sure, right after we left… but still very happy for all the wonderful USVI peoples!
“Beginning on March 7, 2022, if you are fully vaccinated you DO NOT need to supply a negative COVID-19 test in order to travel into the US Virgin Islands!!!”
This policy has to make you wonder just how stupid some of our
leaders are as vaccination status has absolutely nothing to do with whether someone can contract or transmit the virus.
The most intelligent post related to this subject. Thank you for your thought. The vaccine does not prevent you from spreading covid
I was thinking the same thing! Why do people believe that vaccinated people don’t get and can’t transmit covid. It’s so frustrating. But very glad the mask mandate was updated. Let’s face it if masks work there never would have been a pandemic
Another step closer to “normal”! Happy dances are indeed in order!
This is most welcome news. My wife and I have been visiting St. John for 25 years. Jean (my wife) was in the 8 Tough Miles Race that March in 2020. Coming back on Aril11, 2022. Really excited and hope to meet you.
This is great news can’t wait for the portal to update with the information thank you for posting it.
what the difference if your vaccinated or not ? are we still not following the science 2 years later
Do we know if proof of vaccination needs to include boosters? Or is it just the two shots?
Why censor an obviously true statement that is easily verified?
“Beginning on March 7, 2022, if you are fully vaccinated you DO NOT need to supply a negative COVID-19 test in order to travel into the US Virgin Islands!!!”
This policy has to make you wonder just how stupid some of our
leaders are as vaccination status has absolutely nothing to do with whether someone can contract or transmit the virus.
I think it is crazy that vaccinated people don’t need a current covid test, (they can still get and spread covid) but those who have had covid and have antibodies must still get a test. Everyone should have to be tested before traveling to the USVI to stop any spreading!
Great news about the tests! At best it required a special trip to get them; at worst lining up out in the cold or traveling to some distant testing facility. That removes a big hurdle.
Do you have to get the booster shot in order to be completely vaccinated?
FYI to those traveling on March 7th or after, as of this morning (March 5th), the travel portal doesn’t look like it has been updated yet. If you submit with your vaccination card, but indicate that a test isn’t required, you get the red code back. I’ve emailed the help desk to ask when this will be updated. I’m sure it is just taking some time to get everything sorted on the back end to match the Governor’s update.
I received a reply from the help desk and they said to upload your vaccination card to both the test section and the vaccination card section. I’ve done that and in the test section you also need to fill out date of test and type of test (required fields), so I entered today’s date and the rapid test. I’ll report back when I receive an email back from them with a red or green code. They said they are experiencing high volumes, so it could take a little while. More to come…
AT LAST! Great news and great coverage! Well done.
I spoke with the Department of Health last week and the portal will be updated on Monday the 7th. If you call them after submitting the information they will expedite your clearance (we have a friend arriving on the 8th) if your travel date is immediate.
Does anyone know how to upload vaccination cards? The USVI travel portal is still looking to upload Test results.
You all need to wake up to this plandemic hoax they created
around the world.
Think about it……does any of it make sense?
Please do not give these shots to your children, they are deadly!
They don’t prevent you from getting covid, they destroy your
immune system so you will get sick.
Do not trust anything the govt. media or health care system says.
Live in love not fear!
Please define “completely vaccinated” as the USVI accepts. Is it 2 shots OR 2 shots & a booster?
Stunned people do a “happy dance” if they are “fully vaccinated” since you will never be “fully vaccinated” because they change that definition on a very regular basis! Additionally, those who got the “vaccination” can STILL get COVID AND transmit it! Let’s see if people still do their “happy dance” when they find out, and realize, the long term side effects of those shots. My natural immunity from getting COVID is FAR superior to those “vaccinations”. Wake up people!
How interesting you censored factual statements that can be easily verified. The “vaccine” is STILL not approved and is experimental use only. The side effects are devastating, just check VARES. Fully “vaccinated” people can still GET and TRANSMIT COVID so why the “happy dance”?? None of these “mandates” have followed actual science, including this new one from the Governor.
We will arrive next weekend. We upload3d all the info in the portal this morning and got a code # but no green QR code like the last time.
I hope this won’t be a problem.
Hi there, Do children who aren’t’ vaccinated still need a negative covid test? A child under the age of 6?
If you submit all the paperwork to the portal and you do not receive the green QR code can you still enter the territory, assuming that you’re fully vaccinated and have successfully fulfilled all the requirements for entry?