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Minister Malone announces new protocols #257806
06/10/2021 04:21 PM
06/10/2021 04:21 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 979
Northern Virginia
ecm56 Offline OP
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ecm56  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 979
Northern Virginia
Honourable Malone is speaking now. After June 15th he is saying fully vaccinated travelers will not have any quarantine and no test upon arrival. They will have to provide a PCR OR Rapid Antigen test within 5 days of arrival and evidence of vaccination. Gateway charges for fully vaccinated travelers will be reduced to $35. He said cabinet has approved this change. I will look for a printed press release and post it as soon as possible.

If you use Facebook, here is a link to his announcement (video): https://www.facebook.com/BVIGovernment/videos/595061768136015

This video and a transcript should be available soon - I will update with those when I see them.

Last edited by ecm56; 06/10/2021 05:16 PM. Reason: Added link to video of announcement
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Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257807
06/10/2021 04:29 PM
06/10/2021 04:29 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,647
Memphis, BVI, CT
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RatmansWife Offline
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RatmansWife  Offline
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Posts: 1,647
Memphis, BVI, CT
Thanks for that. Wonder if that means no Good Seal transport?

Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: RatmansWife] #257809
06/10/2021 04:48 PM
06/10/2021 04:48 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
JasonHelmbrecht Offline
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JasonHelmbrecht  Offline
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Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
Originally Posted by RatmansWife
Thanks for that. Wonder if that means no Good Seal transport?

they didn't specify but upon arrival a vaccinated guest won't be in quarantine so I see no reason there would be a need for them to use Gold Seal transport.


JasonHelmbrecht
Coconut Breeze Villas
Cane Garden Bay
reservations@coconutbreezevillas.com
www.coconutbreezevillas.com
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: JasonHelmbrecht] #257810
06/10/2021 05:08 PM
06/10/2021 05:08 PM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,647
Memphis, BVI, CT
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RatmansWife Offline
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Memphis, BVI, CT
That will be great news for Anegada, Jost, VG, as well as the ferry companies. Water taxis out there could get pretty costly. It should also help alleviate some of the testing capacity issues.

Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257811
06/10/2021 05:30 PM
06/10/2021 05:30 PM
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 11
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jenhum Offline
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jenhum  Offline
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Posts: 11
We are arriving 6/12 😭😭😭. Happy for those coming after us though!

Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257812
06/10/2021 05:34 PM
06/10/2021 05:34 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
louismcc Offline
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louismcc  Offline
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Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
I wonder what this will do for the stress inducing BVI protocol everyone is going through to get permission to arrive?


Louis from Houston
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: louismcc] #257813
06/10/2021 05:37 PM
06/10/2021 05:37 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
JasonHelmbrecht Offline
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JasonHelmbrecht  Offline
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Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
Originally Posted by louismcc
I wonder what this will do for the stress inducing BVI protocol everyone is going through to get permission to arrive?

Unfortunately, not much is changing in the permission to arrive steps. Will be much easier once people are here though. No more entry test, approved transport, quarantine for 1-2 days, turning trackers, etc...

Hopefully soon the US will change protocols and not require entry tests for vaccinated travelers so the last test will be eliminated too.


JasonHelmbrecht
Coconut Breeze Villas
Cane Garden Bay
reservations@coconutbreezevillas.com
www.coconutbreezevillas.com
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257814
06/10/2021 05:45 PM
06/10/2021 05:45 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
louismcc Offline
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louismcc  Offline
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Houston, Texas
In many ways the requirement for the outbound test is more obtrusive on vacation plans that the pre-arrival protocol, so I agree that it would be great if the USVI eliminated the test requirement for fully vaccinated.

Also on my wish list is seeing the reduction in arrival testing leading to opening up to inbound water taxis.


Louis from Houston
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257816
06/10/2021 05:56 PM
06/10/2021 05:56 PM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,345
Washington DC
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bailau Online content
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Washington DC
I literally just completed the portal for 8 people and that is a beast. We arrive on the 14th so very happy for those of you that will start later and still have portal but not the Day 0 airport brain scan PCR-RT test and quarantine

Last edited by bailau; 06/10/2021 06:00 PM.
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257827
06/10/2021 06:49 PM
06/10/2021 06:49 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 979
Northern Virginia
ecm56 Offline OP
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ecm56  Offline OP
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Northern Virginia
Here is a link to the minister's written statement.

Honourable Malone's Statement of 10 June regarding new protocols

Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257840
06/10/2021 08:00 PM
06/10/2021 08:00 PM
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,130
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MIDiver Offline
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MIDiver  Offline
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Louismcc - if you are fully vaccinated and have a positive antibody test (good for 4 months) and are transiting back to USVI via water taxi or ferry, you can use that result for reentry.

Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257858
06/10/2021 11:34 PM
06/10/2021 11:34 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
louismcc Offline
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louismcc  Offline
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Houston, Texas
I saw that and may go ahead and get the test. I just wonder if everyone who has been vaccinated (we all have) will get a positive antibody result.

It appears that the USVI accepts the rapid test but I don't know if that is a test currently being administered in the BVI to people heading out to the USVI.


Louis from Houston
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257866
06/11/2021 03:45 AM
06/11/2021 03:45 AM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,496
Grenada
Zanshin Offline
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Zanshin  Offline
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Grenada
I'm arriving on the 14th - one day too early to take advantage of the new protocols. Are the "gold seal" taxis more expensive than the normal exorbitant rates?


[Linked Image]
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257868
06/11/2021 05:47 AM
06/11/2021 05:47 AM
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,647
Memphis, BVI, CT
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RatmansWife Offline
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Land taxi rates appear to be the same. Real issue has been water taxis. At first the government paid, but then travelers had to pay, in cash. They were supposed to put out a rate sheet, but didn’t. I got a written quote for $100. He forgot, and when we got to the dock he tried to charge us $160 - for a five minute, one mile ride.

Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: louismcc] #257891
06/11/2021 07:44 AM
06/11/2021 07:44 AM
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Posts: 1,130
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MIDiver Offline
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MIDiver  Offline
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Louis - I had Moderna and my husband had Pfizer - we both tested positive for antibodies two weeks after second dose.

Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257926
06/11/2021 12:02 PM
06/11/2021 12:02 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
louismcc Offline
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louismcc  Offline
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Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
I'm thinking of hunting down a place that does the antibody test (aren't that many compared to the PCR testing places) because it would make it easier to do transits to and from the USVI. I had read somewhere that older folks (I'm 66) weren't generating as strong an antibody response to the vaccination (I had Pfizer) so thought that might result in a negative antibody test.

Still for the obvious travel benefits it's worth pursuing.


Louis from Houston
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257934
06/11/2021 12:55 PM
06/11/2021 12:55 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 979
Northern Virginia
ecm56 Offline OP
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ecm56  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 979
Northern Virginia
LabCorp did antibody tests for my wife and I last year for $10 each. No appointment was needed.

Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257940
06/11/2021 02:01 PM
06/11/2021 02:01 PM
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MIDiver Offline
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MIDiver  Offline
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CVS does antibody in their minute clinics.

Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: MIDiver] #257946
06/11/2021 02:53 PM
06/11/2021 02:53 PM
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 735
Panama City Beach, Florida
xrayman67 Offline
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Panama City Beach, Florida
Originally Posted by MIDiver
CVS does antibody in their minute clinics.

And some of their pharmacies without the Minute Clinic.
https://www.cvs.com/content/antibody-testing

Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257962
06/11/2021 04:07 PM
06/11/2021 04:07 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
louismcc Offline
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louismcc  Offline
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Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
I'll check again but the CVS in our area don't show that as an option.

Update: Found a CVS not too far away that does them while you wait for $38. Eliminated any further testing for the trip is well worth $38!.

Last edited by louismcc; 06/11/2021 04:15 PM.

Louis from Houston
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: louismcc] #257966
06/11/2021 04:19 PM
06/11/2021 04:19 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,585
Eric_Hill Offline

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Eric_Hill  Offline

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Make sure that it is acceptable..... we found several that were not.

$150 later did work. $38??? are you sure?


Eric Hill
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Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: Eric_Hill] #257972
06/11/2021 04:56 PM
06/11/2021 04:56 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
louismcc Offline
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louismcc  Offline
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Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
Originally Posted by Eric_Hill
Make sure that it is acceptable..... we found several that were not.

$150 later did work. $38??? are you sure?


According to the CVS website, $38, no insurance accepted. I'm not sure how to evaluate whether or not it will be accepted but they call it "COVID-19 antibody testing". What I'm not clear about is whether or not being vaccinated will generate the antibodies. There have been some articles that indicate older people's immune system may not generate the antibodies but yet we are still protected against COVID.

Since the BVI still requires a test and now accepts the rapid test, we'll still do a rapid test. What gets saved is a trip to a clinic in the BVI for another test 5 days before heading back to the USVI.


Louis from Houston
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257973
06/11/2021 04:59 PM
06/11/2021 04:59 PM
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 735
Panama City Beach, Florida
xrayman67 Offline
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xrayman67  Offline
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Panama City Beach, Florida
We got ours at CVS. Used for USVI via ferry. They specify igg vs. igm antibodies which is what is needed when I called USVI for information.

Last edited by xrayman67; 06/11/2021 05:09 PM.
Re: Minister Malone announces new protocols [Re: ecm56] #257976
06/11/2021 05:25 PM
06/11/2021 05:25 PM
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 11
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jenhum Offline
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Posts: 11
Everyone in our group used CVS for antibodies. It was $38 and all of us got IgG positives and IgM negatives, except for my 12 year old got positives for both (she got her test 1.5 weeks after her second vaccine). The USVI portal accepted all of our results. We are all vaccinated and none of us had Covid that we know of.


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