BVI gov't increases quarantine period for unvaccinated travellers

TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands (CMC) – The administration of Premier Andrew Fahie has increased the quarantine period for unvaccinated travellers entering the territory from four days to seven days.

During a national broadcast on Friday, Health Minister Carvin Malone said if people are travelling in mixed groups with some individuals unvaccinated, the entire party will be treated as unvaccinated and will be required to quarantine for seven days upon arrival.

“In the case of persons who are only partially vaccinated — meaning that they have received only one dose of a two-dose vaccine or whose final vaccine dose was administered less than two weeks before arrival in the territory — a four-day quarantine period will be required with the PCR testing administered on arrival and on day four.”

He said Cabinet made these decisions at its latest meeting after considering 'the wish for visitors to enter' with 'the need to mitigate the risk of COVID infections' arising from increased travel.

Malone also said that the  Cabinet has decided to amend the territory's travel ban to only apply to travellers from Brazil and India.

Exempted persons permitted to enter from these two counties are required to quarantine for 14 days.

Fully vaccinated travellers from all other countries will require a BVI  Gateway Travel Certificate for US$105 — down from US$175.

They must also be fully vaccinated and are required to produce a negative PCR result from a test taken three to five days before arrival.

“Where fully vaccinated persons are travelling with one or more unvaccinated child (aged 5-17) … [these children] will be tested on arrival. Children will be released from quarantine together with their parents or guardians once the test results for the entire group are negative but must remain within their family bubble. Unvaccinated children will be subjected to a further test on Day 4.”

He added that a fully vaccinated traveller may be approved for home quarantine in a residence where all adult occupants are fully vaccinated once the traveller or travelling party is provided with a separate room/suite for themselves.

Come May 15, fully vaccinated persons who have been present in the Virgin Islands for more than 14 consecutive days and travel to the USVI, St Martin, or Puerto Rico for a period not longer than 24 hours are exempted from quarantine and the COVID-19 test upon re-entering the territory.

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