Will vaccine loosen some of the hoops

Have a charter with Moorings schedule April 27.Our party should have had both shoots by then.Is.there any talk of loosening restrictions of vaccinated visitors by then.Thanks for any info you may have.

Not so far and I would be very surprised if it happened by then. Just an FYI, you can still be a carrier and contract the virus after vaccination; you just won't be as sick as without it. Until all of the BVI has been offered the vaccine, I would not expect a change in policy. First shots aren't due here until February.

Agree ...... I can't speak to what's happening right now in the BVI, it's been 3 years since I last visited and chartered there. Before that visit and several other charter outings in the BVI, this site was my go-to place for current BVI info. It is just great.

I popped up here again a couple of days ago wanting to get the straight skinny as we're planning a charter summer of '22. The BVI is somewhat unique in that it appears from what I'm hearing and reading here, sero-prevalence of SARS-2 is virtually non-existent. There are few places like that and I don't think the BVI public health officials lucked into the current situation. It seems to me, the BIW wants to keep it that way and, in my medical opinion, they are spot on. What they are doing would be hard to replicate in most places. New Zealand is one of those places doing similar things with virus mitigation and control. Oh, and yes, there is China if you like being shot if you break quarantine. No thanks. So, yep, its a PITA to visit the BVI right now but I understand and support what they are doing. It ain't gonna change for a good while and if we don't get a break with the spread of SARS-2 and its troublesome variants, we're going to battling it for months, maybe longer.

I'm steeling myself to adapt and not complain one bit if the BVI government is still doing this in 2022 and charging $175/head to do it. I can see benefits for those that put up with this for a lot of different reasons, good health and an unprecedented BVI peacefulness and beauty among them.

There are some tourists destinations that are allowing people in or plan to allow people in with proof of vaccination. I think as more experience with the vaccine is obtained this will become common.
G

George,
I disagree with your first sentence. Unless, perhaps you can provide examples.
I agree with your second sentence.

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/seychelles-allowing-vaccinated-travelers

https://www.traveller.com.au/covid1...ng-borders-to-vaccinated-tourists-h1tlgv

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/ne...nation-certificate-to-facilitate-travel/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...ne-certificates-help-tourism/4176930001/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/seychelles-reopening-vaccinated-tourists-destinations-might/

Nice backup put. Thank you.

Way to go George!

Great links GeorgC1. I was aware of the Seychelles but not the momentum for vaccine passports in Europe. Here's an article from the Economist that discusses "The Promise and Perils of Vaccine Passports." Its a subscription article but you may be able to get free access so give it a try.

While governments may have difficulty implementing vaccine passport requirements to enter or travel within a country due to legal challenges to such requirements, private companies can implement them fairly easily. Airlines and cruise lines are looking at proof of vaccination as a pre-boarding requirement. We're already seeing widespread government requirements for negative COVID testing to enter.

Vaccine passports are coming and it appears that travelers will welcome them - a survey in the UK produced a 66% acceptance rate for requirements for vaccine passports. Governments can and generally will implement entry requirements for public health purposes that involve some kind of assurance that you are not carrying the virus. These will become more and more common as travel and leisure is a huge part of most county's economies.

https://www.economist.com/science-a...-promise-and-perils-of-vaccine-passports

I remember a time when you had to show an international vaccine listing (yellow booklet) signed by your doctor to show you had all sorts of vaccines to enter Europe.

With a bug so widespread and so easily transmitted, a place like the bvi is about the only place testing, tracing and managing a population is able to keep the disease away or at very low levels.

I figured when they “opened up” that they would be hard hit quickly. Without the strict protocols and primarily because there is little volume of tourists who will put up with the protocols, they have largely missed the epidemic yet suffered severe economic consequences.

When they talked about opening up the ferry service earlier from the usvi, it seemed obvious that would greatly increase the likelihood of large scale Covid in the bvi. They wisely I think put that off.

Vaccine certificates would be nice, but more importantly for the bvi opening to a near normal level is vaccination of the majority of the island population. I’d heard they were supposed to get 20k doses in Feb. That should take care of the most vulnerable. However I don’t see them feeling good about having the disease spread widely among those not in that older group. I am hoping vaccine will be available for everyone there that wants it in April or May.

That should be a game changer and while there may remain a negative test or vaccination proof to enter, things should be back to normal.

I still have one! The next generation of vaccine proof is going to be electronic......for good or for bad. I'm not tech savvy enough to understand how you get a global community all on the same page. There seems to be some uniformity or interoperability with pass ports between nations. The US Global Entry System is interoperable with the US passport system. Not sure how something like that could be used to electronically enter your vaccination information onto the chips on those cards. Visa Credit Cards work just about everywhere. I'm sure it can be done.

I inquired to the BVI gov last month about this very thing. Guess we just have to wait for the updated policy.

How will the BVI Travelers Protocols be changed for vaccinated travelers?

Department of Information and Public Relations <GIS@gov.vg>
Wed 12/2/2020 2:26 PM
Good day,
Due to fluid situation of the COVID-19 pandemic being that it is constantly and rapidly changing - the Government of the Virgin Islands will continue to update and revise our legislations to suit.
We do look forward to having you visit us in 2021. Please stay safe until then and remember BVILOVE awaits you!

with the regiment the BVI has announced for vaccinations they will have 16,000 doeses available for the first shot on the 4th Feb.

20% are under 18 (roughly)

30% won't take it (roughly)

that leaves enough for everyone who wants it , to get a first dose, hopefully.

Phase 1- Healthcare and frontline workers
Phase 2 - People with underlying conditions that put them at risk of severe COVID-19 disease or death, and persons over 60 years.
Phase 3 - Essential workers at high risk of exposure (eg. teachers, school staff, workers and persons in care homes, shelters, prisoners and prison staff, and hospitality workers)
Phase 4 - Young adults
Phase 5 - All remaining residents

Here's seriously hoping..we are hoping to get the shot here in Sonoma soon..ish. But things are not running that smoothly. It would make sense to allow folks in with proof of vaccine and that would allow some of us to check on our property etc after nearly a year..

The issue with people traveling with the vaccine is that it does not reduce the risk to residents here. The vaccine only reduces your reaction to the virus. You can still get the virus and pass it to other people. Until the BVI has vaccinated all the willing people here, I don't think having the vaccine will change anything. Even then, if a lot of people refuse to take it, the government may still error on the side of caution to protect those unwilling residents.

All that said, guesses on the government reaction here are all just guesses....

This is not entirely accurate according the the CDC.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html

I read the information in your link. It specifically states the vaccine "may also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19" which backs up my first statement about still getting the virus. It then goes on to state that "Getting vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you". "May also protect" isn't very convincing.

Regardless, the latest statement from the BVI Minister of Health (and this is a BVI discussion) is that the vaccine reduces symptoms but does not eliminate the disease. That is the man who recommends policy here.

I'm happy to be wrong but I stand by my original statement that the BVI protocols will not be changing anytime soon because of the vaccine. I am right at the top of the list of people who want the tourism industry in the BVI to restart but the 2021 season is done here.

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/i...-from-pfizer-vaccination-campaign-657051

Jason, you specifically disregard the bold statement "COVID-19 vaccination will help keep you from getting COVID-19" and "All COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States have been shown to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19." The vaccines are not 100%, so in the event someone does contract the virus then "the vaccine "may also help keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19"".

Jason, You said "the problem with people traveling with the vaccine is that it does not reduce the risk to residents here."

Reduce the risk vs what alternative?

It absolutely does reduce the risk vs people traveling there without the vaccine. Although you are right that there has not yet been a published scientific study (that I am aware of) that has conclusively said that being vaccinated reduces your risk of transmitting the disease, because of the mechanisms used it probably does. And the vaccine definitely reduces the likelihood of an active infection, of hosting the virus, for each individual taking it, meaning that each individual traveler who is vaccinated is a reduced risk to be a virus vector.

Does it reduce the risk vs the BVI permanently isolating like a North Korea? No, it does not. Not sure that is anyone's goal though, so I would say the vaccine will definitely reduce risk to BVI residents.

I agree with you that the BVI govt should not just open everything carte blanche to anyone with a vaccine certificate, but considering a traveler's vaccination status, combined with other protective measures is appropriate. I do think vaccinated travelers could be allowed to skip some of the steps current restrictions, for example, without measurable increased risk to the BVI population.

I sincerely hope you are right.

Jason, some of us do truly understand that you do not make policy for the BVi. I can tell you that you help immensely with understanding what comes out of the BVI government mouthpiece.

Thank you. You have a talent for cutting through the flowery verbiage and serving it up on plain toast.