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Covid 19 infections in BVI
#259718
07/02/2021 07:19 AM
07/02/2021 07:19 AM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,390 Ill, USA
Will_L
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Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,390
Ill, USA
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Well what I both feared and thought would be happening seems to be. The bvi by isolating itself like possible in other island nations, Australia for example, kept cases very low in comparison with countries where it was much harder to isolate. Unfortunately some of these countries including the bvi and Australia believed their success in isolating their countries mitigated the need for vaccination. I saw a couple days ago there were 41 cases in the territory and yesterday that had risen to 91. Now I’m sure some of these were positives on people who had recovered or been exposed after vaccination and were not spreading the disease. Most of these were picked up on travel related tests. 15 of the cases seemed to be community spread. Most of cases are on Tortola. https://bviplatinum.com/I’ve watched the local media a good while and can see that their is a good deal of vaccination hesitancy. Only a third of the population has had one shot and a very high number of those are ex-pats. There has been and is plenty of vaccine available though I believe the expiration date is looming on many of the doses. We came down the middle of June and were on a boat for a little more than a week and have been on virgin Gorda since. It does seem that they are trying to use mitigation techniques. There are mask mandates enforced in most businesses and there is hand sanitizer everywhere. Indeed it is much like it was in the states last winter. Masks were worn, but there as here they are primarily ill fitting surgery masks with more than half not covering noses. There is tremendous emphasis on hand sanitation. It reminds me of the very early days at home when there was intense emphasis on getting the virus from surfaces. Lysol and hand sanitizer were as rare as precious stones. Unfortunately it turned out that it was primarily airborne. So I think the effort is there but almost guaranteed not to do much at all in the face of significant virus around. I hope that more decide to get the vaccine based on the increased numbers. I don’t know what the government will do if these numbers take off. I’m a little concerned about exit testing timing. We had some friends with us the first couple weeks and it took them about 3 hrs at the Virgin Gorda clinic. I will attempt to get our information filled out and sent ahead as the very good advice here recommended, but I do worry that they will get very busy with their contract tracing and increase in numbers of tests to do in the lab.
Last edited by Will_L; 07/02/2021 07:19 AM.
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: Will_L]
#259724
07/02/2021 08:09 AM
07/02/2021 08:09 AM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,267 Vero Beach, Fl and South Sound...
tpcook
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Traveler
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Posts: 4,267
Vero Beach, Fl and South Sound...
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At this [point in time it is well known that the simple masks people are wearing are worse than no mask, in that the masks are fulls of bacteria as most folks just wear the same mask every day. I find it sad that 1) the USA seems to have funded covid development 2) The masks that were sold were useless as the covid virus goes right through it. The only thing it helps (maybe) is if a covid person sneezes , then the droplets will be contained in the mask. Basically covid is spread most at indoor events. Almost impossible to spread outdoors. Covid will be around for a while until folks get vaccinated or folks get covid and will also be immune to another attack. Good thing is most folks that get covid seem to have a very mild case, lasts a couple of days of misery and then gone.
tpcook
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: Will_L]
#259729
07/02/2021 09:03 AM
07/02/2021 09:03 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,457 Finger Lake Region
crmoores
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Posts: 1,457
Finger Lake Region
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>> … or been exposed after vaccination and were not spreading the disease. << Is that a thing?
"Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you.” -Anthony Bourdain
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: Maria_and_Steve]
#259758
07/02/2021 02:42 PM
07/02/2021 02:42 PM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359 Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
JasonHelmbrecht
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Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
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WOW, 91 cases?????? Incredible increase from 49 only a few days ago. Time for more vaccinations? Yes, but tomorrow is the last day for vaccines here. That number is going to go higher!! They are still actively contact tracing and testing.
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: crmoores]
#259761
07/02/2021 02:56 PM
07/02/2021 02:56 PM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,390 Ill, USA
Will_L
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Traveler
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OP
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,390
Ill, USA
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Yes indeed that is a thing CR. The pcr test is ultra sensitive for the presence of Covid 19 virus in any state or concentration. That’s a blessing and a curse these days. Vaccinated people can and do test positive for Covid on pcr testing with no symptoms and unable to transmit the virus. For that reason on our initial arrival I had a little concern for our friend with two teenagers, both vaccinated and had covid last fall. . I had the same slight concern on their departure. They all had positive antibody tests but the bvi bases their testing on the most sensitive test. It picks up viral particles long after they are inactive. https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/06...ated-have-no-symptoms-and-test-positive/So my point in the original post was not at all to denigrate their mitigation attempts with masking and hand sanitation. And I certainly did not nor do I condone not going along with their protocols. Indeed they have done much more in the latter area than I ever saw in the us. Clear signs and automatic hand sanitizer in nearly every business along with a hand washing station at Leverick shows a lot of effort. They have mask mandates inside and at most grocery stores they enforce it. Nothing at all wrong with that. Our vaccinated crew was very careful to observe all such restrictions, as my spouse and I are now. We will continue to do so before we leave . We have given away two boxes of surgical masks an one of K99 so far and will leave.more with long time friends here before leaving. My whole point was much of the island’s efforts without high vaccination % has been proven to be ineffective in the states. I am hoping it’s different here. Like someone above said many of the close contact persons have said they have been vaccinated. The problem I worry about are the numbers. If only 1 in 3 folks are vaccinated with a single dose and a huge % of expats make up that number, I worry. A good friend on island had mentioned that many C&I officers did not take the vaccine. Like someone said when assuring islon folks they were fully vaccinated and they responded that they were ..I worry. I worry that many elderly and compromised island residents are at risk because of vaccine misinformation. If they indeed are fully vaccinated which I doubt then cases are not real important. In the states pockets where vaccination lags have shown an escalation in cases..but mostly among young people with not the higher incidence of hospitalization, icu and deaths following. If the older and less healthy population is unvaccinated my point was this will not go well and because of experience hand sanitizer and poorly fitted, ineffective masks won’t change the progression. I’m sorry if I gave the impression I thought observing the protocols in place was not absolutely the way every visitor should act. My point was I’ve seen the ineffectiveness of this strategy first hand . Hand washing/sanitizing and poor mask design and wearing with , noses exposed everywhere..improperly for days as has been The case in many areas of the states that thought they were immune to the virus..as well as many countries now getting hit. The truth remains vaccination of the most vulnerable is essential. Vaccination of a large % of population is needed to keep the virus from hanging around and catching those elderly and compromised. I realize vaccines are controversial here and back home. They should not be.
Last edited by Will_L; 07/02/2021 03:01 PM.
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: Will_L]
#259767
07/02/2021 04:41 PM
07/02/2021 04:41 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,457 Finger Lake Region
crmoores
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,457
Finger Lake Region
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Aah, understand Will, thanks!
"Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you.” -Anthony Bourdain
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: Will_L]
#259894
07/04/2021 07:00 PM
07/04/2021 07:00 PM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,390 Ill, USA
Will_L
OP
Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,390
Ill, USA
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When it hits a vulnerable community exponential is a good way to describe the spread. It is so sad that it coincided with last chance to get first Covid vax.
Last edited by Will_L; 07/04/2021 08:05 PM.
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: Will_L]
#259917
07/05/2021 09:53 AM
07/05/2021 09:53 AM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,267 Vero Beach, Fl and South Sound...
tpcook
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,267
Vero Beach, Fl and South Sound...
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With the number of cases I doubt this can be contained. Better to let it take its course. Seems like the cases are all mild. What is with these clubs? Are these basically whore houses? I would never go to a place like this and do not understand what causes folks to go to these places.
Last edited by tpcook; 07/05/2021 09:55 AM.
tpcook
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: JasonHelmbrecht]
#259931
07/05/2021 02:22 PM
07/05/2021 02:22 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,729 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
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Posts: 82,729
Central Florida!
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Mal--sorry, the elderly should be vaccinated. Worrisome. Regardless, I doubt very seriously that vaccinated visitors are the source of much infection..
Carol Hill
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: Will_L]
#259934
07/05/2021 02:57 PM
07/05/2021 02:57 PM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,390 Ill, USA
Will_L
OP
Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,390
Ill, USA
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Indeed Carol. Unfortunately what we learned in the states is that until vaccinations were available that the virus was pretty much on its own. Mitigation efforts were marginally successful or futile. The contact tracing was soon overwhelmed..as it is here I suspect. It works when you have a handful of cases on an island that is locked down to outside world.
In the US other than vaccination nothing really seemed to change course of the infection. Some states locked down hard, some had mask mandates etc. What was common to almost all was that the virus would get there sooner or later ..there would be an exponential spike in cases..followed in 3 weeks or so with hospitalizations and unfortunately 3 to 4 weeks later with deaths. Our area was pretty free of it till last fall..then it hit with a vengeance. Hospitals were filled and floors devoted to Covid patients., And equally true after a couple months of an upward spike, the cases head down with a steep slope on the other side with hospitalization and deaths lagging. Ill fitting masks, noses exposed and worn on chin and same mask for days and all the hand washing and surface spraying did not seem to change the course once the virus got a foothold. It’s beyond ability to contract trace and quarantine once it is established in your area. Hopefully the folks that are fully here in bvi vaccinated are the most vulnerable. Otherwise I fear it’s going to be a tragic situation for a couple months. .
Last edited by Will_L; 07/05/2021 02:57 PM.
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: Will_L]
#259948
07/05/2021 08:55 PM
07/05/2021 08:55 PM
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Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,361 Washington DC
bailau
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Posts: 1,361
Washington DC
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I respectfully disagree that mitigation efforts are or were marginally successful or futile. Someday when this over we may figure that out but as you know flu cases were down 98% in the US. The only reason I have found for the drastic decrease in flu deaths is the "mitigation effects" for Covid especially distancing. I recognize Covid is more contagious but 98% down is a big number. IMHO mitigation slowed down the progress of spread (1) keeping hospitals from being overwhelmed and (2) buying time until a vaccine could be found You will note in the latest briefing 17% of the current BVI positive cases are fully vaccinated and another 13% partially vaccinated.... https://bvi.gov.vg/media-centre/sta...r-update-covid-19-outbreak-july-4th-2021I think it is easy to say if they all get vaccinated that will solve this but I would reiterate IMHO it also takes us practicing good distancing habits down there.... I agree vaccination is truly a game changer and an incredible scientific feat to come up with a vaccine that quickly.
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: bailau]
#259951
07/05/2021 09:40 PM
07/05/2021 09:40 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,729 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,729
Central Florida!
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I wonder, what is the vaccine they are using in the BVI? It is stunning that 30% of the cases are either half or fully vaccinated. Something very wrong with that stat..
Carol Hill
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: Manpot]
#259967
07/06/2021 10:42 AM
07/06/2021 10:42 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,729 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,729
Central Florida!
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Again, does anyone other than me find it strange that 30% of the cases are supposedly at least partially vaccinated?? That doesn't make sense to me..
Carol Hill
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: bagsarepacked]
#259970
07/06/2021 11:55 AM
07/06/2021 11:55 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,729 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,729
Central Florida!
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I wonder if they are relying on people to self-report whether they had their shots or not?? And people are lying? To me, that is the only explanation, other than if the vaccine was not stored properly, which I had not thought of that.
Carol Hill
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Re: Covid 19 infections in BVI
[Re: Sunnykm]
#259985
07/06/2021 01:40 PM
07/06/2021 01:40 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 791 Kannapolis, NC
ndfaninnc
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Posts: 791
Kannapolis, NC
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I believe even after vaccination a person can test positive. The vaccine lessens the severity of symptoms and chance of hospitalization and death.
This is a correct statement. So it makes me wonder if we should be counting hospitalizations/deaths only. Not saying the positives increase is not a bad thing. But I see that number continuing long after most or all are vaccinated.
Go Irish!! Bill
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