BVI Records 2 Imported Cases Of Covid-19

A 2nd case, in addition to the 1st one, was found on a yacht:

https://bvi.gov.vg/media-centre/bvi...dolZyXZN5dFEfku1v3m00vYEuvSoqM_U8pobQB8s

"Active" is relative from a medical standpoint. Not surprising that there are 2 positive tests. Questions I have: 1) True positive or false positive? Symptoms or no symptoms? Quarantine maintained?

(WHY would you want to take them from a quarantined boat to a land based quarantine facility which would definitely involve some interaction with BVI citizens?)

Many people have little or no symptoms and thus require no little or no medical resources. Keeping in quarantine for 10 days is what CDC currently recommends, and no retesting, as at this point the person is no longer symptomatic although testing can still be positive due to fragments of the virus still being detected).

Surely, the protocol , when being developed would anticipate a positive case being detected at each of these points, either land based or yacht based. Has the BVI shared their protocol of what happens at each of these points?

Of course they have not shared their protocol.

Purely a guess but I would think they move them to a quarantine area (like Maria's) with a guard to ensure isolation. Many times people would not able to stay on board a charter boat due to cost and/or availability. I wonder what you do with all the other people on board that have clearly been exposed.

Most of the boats i have encountered have couples on them, most i have seen is 4 , 2 couples travelling together.

Jason--there is certainly a good question. One would think that they should quarantine everyone onboard.

You would think so. That's what makes it complicated. Our villas protocols required us to designate a villa for a quarantine space in the case of a guest testing positive. That's easy for us because almost all guests are a couple so we can designate any villa and it will hold the whole party.

Quarantining 8 people is a whole other matter and would your COVID travel insurance pay for your quarantine cost if you're not the positive individual?

This is all so scary, and another reason why many, myself included, have no desire to travel right now.

I'm with you Carol. We typically go to the VI 3-4 times a year....to relax. The current situation would be anything but relaxing.

If you live in most areas currently this virus is raging. There is little chance for this to go well. I hope I am wrong. I know how badly the people of the BVI need tourists. I’m fully aware of the devastation to charter business and boat owners as I was on an after expense share of income. Expenses and no income is as bad as it gets.

Unfortunately the numbers are such that there are bound to be a number of positives. Hospitals in so many places are over run. Until September I did not know many people that have had it. Now there has been a half dozen staff in the business we used to own, a number of relatives and friends, one on a ventilator, one in rehab after three weeks on a vent. A local pulmonologist that was hospitalized for better than two months, etc.

Now if let’s say two couples with a couple college kids have chartered a 4 cabin cat while on Christmas vacation, travel with several connections, some are going to break after the test prior to and on arrival. The odds are likely better than 5% in that scenario using a swag (scientific wild @ss guess) . You will have a lot of positives. If there is not much demand maybe they can lock em up in Maria’s and get by. However if thousands are coming weekly, this will get out of hand quickly IMO and there will be another shutdown. It seems there are few land based visitors and that does make it less likely to spread to the island population , but it probably will. It’s a pretty aggressive bug and nearly everyone is a potential victim. Going to be tough to pull this off, keep island population safe and tourists have a good stress free vacation.

3 more imported cases reported Sun-Mon.

They are now talking about increasing quarantine to 9 days.
http://www.virginislandsnewsonline....-19-cases-now-in-vi-3-new-in-past-24hrs-

maybe they should start fining the people who are breaking the protocols but not as much as Cayman
https://www.caymancompass.com/2020/12/15/breaking-mack-ramgeet-sentenced-to-4-months-in-jail/

Wow..

They did report the RVIPF was charging the group that went to Willy T and Pusser's but currently the fines are only $1000. They need to get the increased fines in place so it's a better deterrent. Also immediate deportation when their quarantine is complete.

I wonder if contact tracing protocol requires the poor staff at Willy T and Pusser's to quarantine now. I'd feel terrible for the staff to lose 14 days or work due to a selfish customer!

Maybe we need to move to a scarlet bracelet that can't be removed to identify people still in quarantine. It would certainly help with the policing if every resident was looking out for them. Right now, we see the tracking bracelets on people at Cane but can only assume they finished quarantine but are still stuck with the bracelet.

No but they are getting or have been tested (willy t staff)

I was told the 2 Willy T staff who were exposed both tested negative but are also indeed in a 10 day Quarantine

I don’t agree with the BVI’s protocols and overall covid position. It is however their country and they get to make the rules. Unlike the group sailing the people who went to the WillyT knowingly violated the quarantine and put others at risk. Working for a airline it reminds me a bit of all the people claiming fake disabilities to bring their pets on aircraft. The massive fraud in the ESA program has led to its end and people who truly had a need can’t participate. I fear much the same will happen in the BVI if people don’t honor their required quarantine. The WillyT people should be banned permanently from future entry into the BVI. Fines should be severe. They should also make up any economic loss to the WillyT employees.
G

if there are many more incidents they will close down again or ensure nobody enters a boat until quarantine is over. House meeting today to rise fines to $10,000

This is why we can't have nice things.

Exactly why we can’t have nice things.

Shake my head at the entitlement.

Maybe we should just sew a yellow 5 pointed star to their t-shirts.

I can't help but to be curious regarding the circumstances of Covid 'positives' at Pusser's Soper's Hole Restaurant on the 14th. If these were tourists, as implied, why would they be breaking quarantine at Soper's Hole? Returning or arriving at charter base? If so, a bunch of folks could be exposed.

11 cases now , 2 residents, 9 tourists.

mess with the tracker watch. $2000 fine

meet with someone in quarantine. $5000 fine

break quarantine. $10,000 fine

illegal entry or helping with illegal entry. $100,000 fine and up to 10 years in prison, this isup from the $1000 for illegal entry and or 1 year in prison

Welcome to the BVI.

We won't be back.

It’s unfortunate but this was doomed from the start. The politicians and I don’t blame them wanted to keep the islands free of Covid. They needed the tourist revenue and unfortunately their opening coincided with the worst stage of the pandemic nearly everywhere. There is no way you can accomplish both even if you don’t have knuckleheads involved breaking quarantine. If you have this much Covid around and it’s that contagious you are going to introduce it even being careful.

I realize people are anxious to vacation and prices are great but as cases rise and they will, the rules will be more onerous, the local population less eager for tourists to visit if there is community spread. There will likely be more bad press like the college kid in the Caymans they locked up for four months or the two old couples the BVI held for ransom and finally decided they were losing the war of the press.

The fact the USVI is sort of open, I’m sure the BVI envies that revenue. But the USVI has decided for now to just go with it. I see there have been 273 cases in the two weeks up to Dec 15. The CDC calls the USVI a level 4 and recommends you don’t travel there (and don’t bring ‘rona back with you). I doubt very seriously that the bvi opens up ferry service in mid january given those case numbers.

It can’t be both no cases in the population and significant tourism right now with Covid red hot most places. Hopefully in another month these really high levels will plateau and start down as all spikes have before. Hopefully not long after there will be more vaccine available . Some were talking today on tv they thought April the vaccine protocols in the states would be down to anyone who wants it. If the most vulnerable in the bvi has then been vaccinated with vaccine for rest of population coming soon after, travel will be safe. That will allow the economy to open up and be welcoming tourists, not monitoring them with bracelets or feel the need for punitive fines or incarceration based on movements after arrival.

Although the few from this group have all enjoyed their trips I suspect it’s not for everyone, such as myself. Cant wait till this is over and can enjoy that sun and sand. Meanwhile I’ll keep workin on how to outsmart those trout.