TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Potential New Quarantine in US

If this stands it is going to present further hurdles to travel.

https://www.usnews.com/news/top-new...by-biden-for-us-international-passengers

Don't know why it won't stand - Canada has the same rules - except quarantine for 14 days

Does this mean if you fly from BVI to a US territory like PR, you will need a negative test AND be quarantined for 7 days in SJU?

I would say if you go through customs in your travels back to the US (and territories) - yes - negative test within 3 days and quarantine....

I am not an expert, just have an opinion....

I know a bit about the thinking here. I write COVID related science notes on another forum I belong to. I'm a retired PA and follow this stuff closely. The science based facts on the effectiveness in preventing the spread of SARS-2 by isolating infected persons is well established. Quarantine of persons potentially exposed but not necessarily infected (i.e., they have not been tested for COVID-19 by PCR or RAPID Antigen testing) has become a standard public health measure employed in some locations but not all. It depends. Implementing such approaches involves cost/benefit analysis as well as assessing the scale of such an undertaking. Most Caribbean countries are already doing this deciding that they will open their boarders to unrestricted international arrivals and then, in some cases, track or test and track. The scale is smaller than it would be in the US or EU and is driven by the need to re-open tourism economies.

Right before Trump's departure from the presidency, he rescinded a host of travel restrictions that upon ascendency to it President Biden cancelled those rescissions. It is clear that as of that rescission and the language of his EO, yes, you will need evidence of negative testing at the most 3d prior to boarding a US bound flight from a foreign county (to include US territories) and you will need to quarantine for 7d upon arrival in the US. Personally, I don't think the 7d quarantine derives significant enough benefit in terms of risk reduction but it isn't unreasonable. In the current circumstance where Biden's messaging/signaling is such that it is, were, going to see more mandated mitigation.

The thinking here is in keeping with Joe Biden's approach to his pandemic response in the US. Implement measures that will reduce the introduction of newly infected persons arriving from outside the US to as near zero as possible. Interstate travel also risks increased transmission, especially IVO the emergence of SARs-2, B1.1.7 - a proven more transmissible variant of SARS-2 already in the US. That's why this is mentioned in the linked article as well. Even though the measures were discussing here may not be as useful as quarantining people who are known to be infected, it is nonetheless a reasonable public health measure - albeit a butcher's knife rather than a scalpel - and it's in concert with the CDC's position (quarantine people arriving from outside the US at all ports of entry, don't travel if you don't have to, don't cruise).

There are better ways to do what the Biden administration wants to accomplish to mitigate viral spread that have to do with expanded RAPID Antigen testing and genomic sequencing of collected samples with appropriate follow-up for that after testing. The guy you want to absolutely quarantine is the traveler with a positive RAPID Antigen test and then on lab based test result is found to be infected with SARS-2, B1.1.7 or SARS-2, B1.1.35. At the very least administer RAPID Antigen tests to arriving travelers and direct home care and quarantine as appropriate. Some airports in the US, GB and EU are already offering RAPID tests to travelers that want or need them. The means and resources are there to mandate it on a wider scale in the US but not for genomic testing - but that need is being recognized and reportedly addressed. Vaccine pass-ports, or equivalent and pre-boarding and post disembarkation testing are probably in the future for all international travelers, possibly domestic as well. The introduction of that is going to be cumbersome and inconvenient at first, like this one is, but will streamline over time.

that is not what it says,it states that if no PCR test is taken a 14 day quarantine will be required and also from high risk countries like all of Europe, UK , Brazil . Probably not the Caribbean and certainly not a level 1 CDC country like the BVI.

Just my opinion on reading the full thing.

A couple of points ......

The CDC's travel regulations are evolving and multifaceted. They can be confusing with different regulations found at different places on the CDC web site seemingly contradictory. This has been a problem with CDC guidance since day 1.

Read section 5 of the Applicable EO here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...ty-in-domestic-and-international-travel/

From my read of Section 5 of the EO, you have to go to the CDC web site to find out what type testing you need for international travel. That section indicates either the NAAT (PCR) or Antigen tests are suitable for proof of a negative test. Other circumstances (e.g., you've had C-19 and recovered) for testing and documentation are also explained

Looking at the CDC web site for the umpteeth time, I found this. It should be help: CDC Guidelines for Travel in teh BVI

If you scroll down the link above, you'll find that if you engage in certain high risk travel activities (being airport is one of the) you and household members you share space with should wear a mask in your home for 14d, quarantine for 7 days even if you test negative (this is contradicted in other sections dealing with COVID where the CDC states if you test negative, quarantine is not required, is required for 10d or 14d on a variable set of circumstances.

I erred when I stated travel from Puerto Rico to the US is equivalent to "international travel" and the restrictions and protocols apply. They don't.[*]

Like I said, it's hard to figure all this out. The CDC page titled "COVID-19 in the British Virgin Islands" linked above is fairly concise. Watch this page for changes.

The poor airlines must be loving this: make it so complicated and confusing that people throw in the towel on traveling.

I was going to assist on bringing a boat from the BVI to Key West. We are planning on going nonstop. Will we have to quarantine after a week on a boat?

Thanks Captain Jay - always thinking ahead.

George

I am no expert, and haven't stayed at a Holiday Inn Express lately either

But, my understanding is that the clock starts ticking on the quarantine when the stamps goes on the passport at Customs.

Will

I agree with Will on that time stamp..... Looks like they will be reviewing/designing marine and seaport protocol within the next two weeks........

I just don’t want to have to quarantine when our flight gets into San Juan and not our final destination. That would be the end to our March land stay!

San Juan has no facility capable of holding transiting airline passengers for 7 days in quarantine before they fly on to mainland US. Perhaps my imagination is incapacitated, but i can't believe anyone intends for Puerto Rico ( or St Thomas, for that matter), to be the quarantine ward for the rest of the US.

Hey, I know, I know, what " government" thinks and says is rarely without a hitch in the get-along, regardless of the country or custom.

Here's what could happen in PR for passengers arriving from the BVI on through flights to the US: PR is a CPB port of entry and you pass through US customs as an international traveler. If you test positive on entry, you get a tracking bracelet and have to arrange your own accommodations in a local hotel who's agreed to take you in. Your transportation to that hotel will be by prearranged vehicle. We aren't talking about 100s of travelers at a time here. I'm using the BVI government's own protocols here as a model. They may or not be the same.