I hear rumors that another 28 day lock down is coming to the BVI. This is not good and almost means no tourists til 2021 Covid is spreading in the BVI

There's another update tonight at 9pm ET after 12 more cases were discovered. They're saying the source is illegal entry into the Territory.

There's another rumor that that rumor is fake news (directly from the Commission of Police).

On the Facebook page of HM Governor's Office I saw that comment and across it there is a banner that says Fake News with their seal. Lets hope that is the case.
Sorry I cannot add the link....not good at that

There is supposed to be an update tonight at 9PM AST from the Minister for Health and Social Development.

Of course it was "illegal entry." Otherwise the government might be at fault.

If the government has culpability, it's in not cracking down on smuggling. Otherwise, this falls squarely on the idiots who don't take Covid seriously. With luck, this will be a wake up call. I do fear that not only will it further strain budgets, but also slow down the re-opening to tourists.

Here is the post that bagsarepacked mentioned above.

bernk ~ Thanks for the assist!!
Lisa

I do not understand why there is such contempt expressed here for the BVI response to the worldwide pandemic.

Someone might have to actually explain to me in words of one syllable why a foreign government can't or shouldn't make decisions meant to keep their own citizens safe and healthy, especially when our own domestic government finds that same task beyond their capacity.

How about Bankruptcy!

Breeze: I do not think there is contempt. There is concern both in the USA and in the BVI that reality has to be faced. Covid will be with us for a while and we all need to deal with our response to covid 19. I want all countries to deal with covid in a rational way.l It is not rational to wear masks outdoors.at all. For me it is rational to never spend any time in a crowd insides, even with a mask. It is rational for me to want to be able to go back to the BVI as I have invested a huge amount of money into the BVI. It is rational to want to be able to work and pay for our needs. I want to be able to employee locals in the BVI. I live in Vero Beach in Florida where covid is well controlled and I am able to move around and do as I please. I want everyone to be able to do the same.

....I am witnessing the same thing on the Gulf Coast of Florida — I mask up and go to work at a very popular restaurant here. I wash my hands constantly. I never take my mask off. Between shifts? We avoid crowded places. We eat at home a lot. I have been back to work in a high-traffic tourist area for three months and I am 57 years old.

Follow the advice. Mask up. Follow social distancing guidelines.
There really is going to be no such thing as complete containment yet.

Just rumours. Curfew from 5pm to 5am starting Wednesday, and running for 2 weeks.

here is the link to the announcement


https://www.facebook.com/BVIGovernment/photos/pcb.10157897219582945/10157897219352945

It looks like the BVI and USVI will be cracking down on illegal travel between the territories:
https://bvinews.com/bvi-usvi-streng...der-security-amid-increase-in-smuggling/

There are 2 ships now anchored between the BVI and USVI monitoring the borders. One between JVD and West End and another off the west end of Peter Island. They both appear to be approximately 160-175' supply ships.

I don’t think anyone holds the governments efforts in contempt. The issue is covid is not going away. Can the BVI remain in permanent lockdown? Will the BVI initiate similar lockdowns and curfews for other illnesses with similar mortality rates like the flu? The BVI is not unique in a lack of rationality. The US for example would see a big change in stats if we eliminated the massive payments to hospitals for patients classified as covid deaths or active covid cases. There is no reason to pay these massive covid bonuses. The standard outrageous medical fees are more than enough. I spent 2 hours in the hospital in June for hearing tests. The bill was 4500 dollars.
G

Your assumption here implies that there is a massive and coordinated effort among hospital administrators to violate HIPAA laws. Such an effort would have by now, been exposed by whistle-blowers. To my knowledge, there is no evidence that administrators are falsifying records to defraud the government.

Does anyone think the increase in numbers may have something to do with increase of testing. The Media reported the Cuban Medical team has passed its 14 day quarantine and this coincides with the increase in numbers. I don't know, don't have anyone on the ground down there, just thinking out loud.

Nothing to do with increased testing. Everything to do with an infected person being smuggled in from the USVI. Hence the new border control efforts. Those who arrived legally were tested and quarantined.

The interesting case is number 22 who then infect 3 more people. They never provided the origin of that case.

How might you have got Covid? Hard to say, but I did run over to Red Hook one night to see my favorite hooker.

lol. Sad, but true...

Just got a message that states that the government intends to continue allowing expats in starting Sept 1 So far no indication of when tourists will be allowed in along with the regulation and costs for same. In vero Beach positivity is going down along with the severity of the disease. I guess medical folks are learning how to control the viruis.

The hospital reimbursement mentioned is not an assumption. Search: Orthospine.news May 4th 2020. " Hospitals are paid more for Medicare patients confirmed or presumed to have coronavirus" report by Chris J Stewart. There are many more articles. I'm in surgery everyday. This is common knowledge. The staff joke about it.

I appreciate the inside information, but it is not relevant to travel to the BVI. Let's try to keep on the topic here and hopefully avoid subjects unrelated to travel. Thanks.

I get so tired of these conspiracies. If your hospital is routinely defrauding the government, perhaps you should seek new employment, unless you are 'onboard' with the practice. I refuse to believe this is a systemic issue, our daughter works on the front line of Covid in a major hospital. I feel they are doing the best they can under the circumstances, and certainly not 'working the system'. Carol ... feel free to delete this, I couldn't let it pass without comment.

ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone start a new thread, minus this stuff.