Bi-monthly tests for public officers! Business restrictions return
All employees of the police force, Customs and Immigration departments, prison officers, sea and airport authorities, members of residential institutions, among others are now expected to be tested for COVID-19 “at least once per fortnight” following the latest upsurge in positive cases.
These — in addition to a reimplemented nighttime curfew from 11 pm to 5 am — are among a raft of new directives Health Minister Carvin Malone announced Monday night to help bring the high transmission rate of the virus under control.
The Health Minister also noted that all vaccinated persons arriving in the BVI will now be subjected to a rapid test upon arrival. This takes effect July 12 and will cost travellers $50.
In explaining the process that went into these latest decisions, Malone said the Health Emergency Operations Centre met with members of the government and parliamentary Opposition at the weekend and updated them on the escalating situation.
He said Cabinet then convened an emergency meeting to consider measures to address the upsurge.
Restrictions implemented on establishments across BVI
According to the Health Minister, visits to Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) are now to be restricted for up to 14 days in the first instance; except for emergency cases.
He advised that residential establishments, including the Adina Donovan Home for the elderly, the Virgin Gorda Elderly Home, Rainbow Children’s Home and Safe Haven Transitional Centre among others, are also expected to restrict visitors for the next 14 days.
Private and public schools, pre-schools, child care centres, summer programmes as well as extra-curricular activities are now mandated to cease all in-person activities with immediate effect.
This will be subject to review after seven days, the health minister said.
Provisions have been made for external and regional examinations to continue at public and private schools with approval from the Health Ministry, Malone stated.
With the exception of getting approval from the Health Ministry, all businesses are also to restrict their capacity to 65 persons at a time. This, however, is subject to all social distancing protocols being in place.
He also said all social gatherings, including weddings, funerals and faith-based gatherings are to be limited to 25 persons at a time, with immediate effect.
All ferries, Malone added, are to be limited to 65 persons at a time; subject to adequate social distancing protocols being maintained for the next 14 days, in the first instance.
Hairdressers, barbers, gyms, bars, clubs and entertainment establishments are also expected to be closed for the next 14 days.
The Health Minister further stated that restaurants offering in-house dining are expected to now only house a maximum of 25 persons at a time OR one person per 36 square feet, inclusive of staff and patrons.
UK assistance being sought for new vaccines
Malone further said Britain will now aid the territory’s vaccine rollout after the governor made an appeal to the UK government for more vaccines. This comes ahead of the impending July 31 expiration date of the BVI’s current stock of vaccines.
He said the government will do everything within its power to secure new vaccines if persons are willing to take the jabs.
Importantly, Malone stated that any new UK donations of vaccines would depend in large part on the number of persons receiving their first jab between now and July 31.
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Always want to be on Facebook chatting a bunch of c**p. It was your smart move to allow the people to come in.
36 people per square foot I would love to see that
Cant you read, dumb a**. 1 per 36 square ft.
And there is that second grade education shining through for you….
We are so lucky to have in the BVI these highly intelligent people with wide knowledge of vaccination technology and disease control.
While the rest of the world vaccinates, and infections, deaths and illnesses go. down, these geniuses tell you to stay at home coughing up blood and drink bush tea.
Lol i was just reading that
2020 until to date Mr Minister you made the address to allow vaccinated persons to enter the territory without testing and quarantine. I am a law abiding citizen and also an officer, ill make this loud and clear no one and I mean no one will be testing me if I am not sick. I know of many officers that’s fully vaccinated and testing positive and unvaccinated to date never showed up at the hospital here or globally with symptoms or to the point they need a ventilator. I’ve sat back and watch lies after lies and persons are hurting after taking the jab. All the free promotion and incentives another word for bribing the public to take a jab is both low and unscrupulous. Everyone evolved should be a shame of themselves. Persons are dying globally from the jab and covid alike but the right to choose should be an option. There are many arguments why someone should or should not take it but I stand by not to take it because of the risk factors. I know personally of friends who have nerve damage, another bleeding, another stroke, another clotting. I can go on and on but the truth will reveal itself and something 5o think on. Not because it didn’t happen to you doesn’t mean it can’t happen to someone 3lse.
You are ignorant. You started you post accusing the minister of making the mistep of allowing people who were vaccinated to come in without testing, 2hich is a sound argument. Then, you proceed to state you will not get tested if you are not showing signs of illness. And please don’t argue that because you live here and visitors dont, that you should not be subjected to the same procedures. You are right that they should have been testing vaccinated persons entering, but you sound hella ignorant with your argument as to why you should not get tested.
After what “Drop News” have seen with his own two eyes, couldn’t you been more sensitive to those that are now suffering, and those who are not alive today, instead of insulting someone who have never said an ill word about or to you? That kind of humanity is doubly worst than COVID. That response is anexample of a poor example of a human being.
I agree I will not be taking no test, ain’t no one gonna invade my medical privacy ! More power to you plus the fda already issued a class one recall on the test because it’s deemed dangerous so even more power to you
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/removal-lists-tests-should-no-longer-be-used-andor-distributed-covid-19-faqs-testing-sars-cov-2
You don’t have to take a test. You just need to stay away from others, wear your mask in public spaces, and stay home if you’re sick until you’re not.. Your argument that medical privacy is more important than the health of the Territory would not be described as the hallmark of a responsible citizen.
Sadly this could have all been prevented has people been vaccinated. This should be a wake up call to all to get vaccinated immediately!!!
Are you dumb?? Many of you acting like the vaccine makes you invincible
The vaccine works to prevent serious illness and death.
Judge not, before you judge yourself.
The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 ‘vaccine’ showed a 62.1% efficacy in the AstraZeneca phase III trials. In older individuals efficacy could not be established.
https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12985-021-01526-y
(page 6)
The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 ‘vaccine’ maybe proves beneficial at reducing severity of the illness, but there are concerns that it does not reduce the spread of the virus.
https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12985-021-01526-y
(page 6)
vaccine works to promote serious illness and death
No one is claiming it makes you invincible but it does seriously decrease the chances of being very sick or dying. What’s so difficult to understand?
I am not dumb just a doctor.
LOL LOL
If you truly are a doctor, then shame on you. Shame on you for allowing this to happen. Shame on your further for wanting this to happen, for believing the lies propagated by a small cabal of evil souls. I dare not even call them human.
As for you, doctor, you do not deserve your title.
Can’t shame the doctor if ID10Ts don’t take the vaccine…
What the bible tell u about doctors and Lawyer
What the bible tell you about doctors and Lawyer
I think you will benefit from reading Public Health England’s latest briefing,
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigation-of-novel-sars-cov-2-variant-variant-of-concern-20201201
The document is titled, “SARS-CoV-2 Variants of concern and variants under investigation in England”.
On page 14, table 4, you will see “Deaths within 28 days of positive specimen date [Delta variant]” and you will also see that from a total of 117 deaths from delta variant there were: 3 deaths unlinked; 1 less than 21 days post first dose; 19 equal to or more than 21 days post first dose; 50 deaths were of people who received two doses; 44 were unvaccinated.
In short, out of 117 people who died with the Delta variant, 70 of those people were vaccinated and 44 were unvaccinated.
Even shorter, 60% dead were vaccinated.
Sadly it is you who is mistaken and has put yourself and other people at risk by complying with the jab campaign.
The amazing thing is that people who cant even spell sta tis tics( here look some help)want to pretend to be able to assess things that they dont understand. All this talk about jusy over 100 cases. stupidity ! There have been thousands of deaths from the delta variant!! When you assess the data from that entire cohort( look up this word) then you can make general associations ( google difference between causation and association . As you there look up Bradford Hicks criteria for causation) with outcomes and vaccination. I have no problem with you having an opinion that is against vaccination. That us your right. But just come out and say it and stop. Dont try to justify with data that vaccinations are the problem or are not helping the outcomes in the pandemic. It is at best foolish to say so and idiotic to say that vaccination creates more of a problem.
This is sad. You people allowed large crowd or gathering at graduation and Bars bringing this plague on the community.
Why should you subject people who are duly fully or partially vaccinated here to this uncomfortable testing ?
does it mean the vaccine is ineffective,
I will suggest that you persuade the unvaccinated people to do so if you are sure it is effective instead of harassing those who have vaccinated.
PLEASE shut the h**l up!
But 11pm to 5pm isn’t good enough. It means that people are still roaming freely. They’re not gonna sit home unless forced too. Allow people to shop and do a 14 day lockdown again. I am all for that.
@ sorry, you are such a sorry person!
To the author, in relation to in-house dining i believe the minister said 1 person per 36 square feet – not 36 persons per square foot
Curfew should be from 7:00 pm until 5:00 am.
Does the government even know what Bimonthly means? Sad!
twice a month or every two months.
Every two months. Twice a month is semi-monthly.
Bimonthly is a LBGTQ reference.
Glad to see the government is inclusive of all its citizenry. When the U.K. takes over, they will install ministers with this mindset and make everyone in the BVI accept your neighbors as equal.
The rainbow flag will fly equal to the BVI one.
We will dance in the streets!
If people would wear their mask covering their nose and mouth and constantly keep hands clean, we can get this virus under control. I find too many persons wear the mask on their chin or only covering mouth. Stop blaming fully vaccinated persons for spreading the virus. Too many incorrect information being spread. There are many persons in the medical profession allowed to enter the territory without quarantine. Those persons include our doctors and nurses. That is one of the reasons it entered the hospital and elderly home.
@ Vaccinated: You talk about the spread of incorrect information, so where did you get the notion that “many persons in the medical profession are allowed to enter the Territory without quarantine”? And, pray tell, how did you come to conclude “it” (presumably virus) entered hospital and elderly home as a result? How were you able to rule out asymptomatic visitors to those places as carriers?
Where’s the equipment that tests for antibodies. The rapid test is still risky??♀️
Rapid test makes no sense.they can show positive adter 4 day. 4 day quaratine is the best way.
$50.00 dollars for a test where in the rest of the world it would cost you nothing. Thiefs are still at it.
It cost $20.00 last night on the live
They are so desperate to get more positives!
It’s kinda similar to some of the stuff that’s been going on in the UK…They turn up at a small town, nobody is sick and they start ‘surge testing’ – next minute they claim loads of cases and want lock people up…. but still nobody is sick.
All to push the ‘vaccine’ but on the other hand the hospital is full of vax damaged people…
You’re an idiot
It isn’t everybody can take that test twice a month. Maybe once a month but not 2
In New York kids are being tested twice a week in some schools!
Please do tell Carvin what type of tests because not
Everyone can take those things up their noses. People are bleeding sometimes
I bet you it’s not up their noses – antibody year. We are so behind. Geez
I heard 2 positve unvaccinated in ICU . Other positive unvaccinated persons in the ward with breathing problem.
I should have taken the vacine. No vaccinated admited innhospital! I f**ked up! !
The BVI is unprepared for this. The leaders spend more time boasting about handling the pandemic the best in the Caribbean. Rather than preparing for the real pandemic break out.
They would have never implemented testing for the vaxxed if they didn’t see the need….
Where is the Health Services Authority is all of this mess? What have they been doing?
Why are they not a part of these press conferences to at least provide some technical support to the Minister?
This is ridiculous. Implementation of rapid testing on arrival is going to be chaotic. There have been very few cases of vaccinated persons dying or even hospitalized. Anyone who thinks otherise is just plain ignorant. This outbreak occured because people are not vaccinated. Full stop. People here want the place open. They want tourist dollars and they dont want covid and they also dont want the vaccine. This is an unfortunate truth but a lot of people will die of their own opinions about NOT taking the vaccine. And that is sad. I would personally prefer to be wrong and alive as opposed to right and dead ! Your decision BVI. Astra and Pfizer work against the Delta variant. Both 90% percent effective against severe disease and death. You know what else works against the Delta variant – ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ! NOT IVERMECTIN. NOT RAMDESIVIR. NOT DEXAMETHASONE. NOT AZITHROMYCIN.NO REGENERON.