Jost Van Dyke on COVID lockdown!
Cabinet of the BVI government has approved an order to lock down the sister island of Jost Van Dyke, effective today, amid COVID-19 reports.
Minister for Health Carvin Malone subsequently made the order under Section 13 of the Public Health Act.
According to the document detailing the order, the purpose of the lockdown is to guard against the spread of COVID-19 “and the probable consequences associated with the detection of COVID-19 in a person residing or visiting Jost Van Dyke”.
As a result, the Health Emergency Operation Centre recommended that a number of measures be taken, including a full 24-hour lockdown on the island until July 28.
“All persons visiting or residing on the island of Jost Van Dyke shall be quarantined for a period of seven days for 24 hours a day from Tuesday 21st day of July 2020 at 1 am. until 5:01 am on the 28th day of July, 2020 subject to such conditions as stipulated in the Health Emergency Operation Centre Guidelines,” it stated.
“No person shall be on the streets, and every person shall remain confined to their place of residence (inclusive of their yard space) for the period specified,” the document further said.
Cease all activity, traffic to island
Cabinet also decided that all activity to the island must cease immediately, unless given permission by a relevant authority.
“No person or vessel shall travel to or from Jost Van Dyke, except with the permission of the Minister for Health and Social Development in consultation with the Joint Task Force comprising of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, HM Customs and the Immigration Department,” it read.
In the meantime, all persons residing on Jost Van Dyke or who have visited the island recently will be subjected to robust contact tracing.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health and the BVI Health Services Authority will conducting COVID-19 community testing.
In the meantime, the lockdown comes days after reports that an airline passenger who travelled from the territory to St Vincent on July 15 was swabbed on arrival in St Vincent and tested positive for COVID-19.
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Ok then.
How could some have traveled from Joyst to a place down island with out traveling through Tortola? Why isn’t Tola on the lock down? Who is going to feed everybody on Joyst?
Does this mean that the traveler case was traced to Jost Van Dyke? Or are there suspected other cases unrelated to the traveler case? I wish the government would be a bit more transparent on this so we could make informed decisions about this.
And Natalio say we having festival lol Lord help us!!
Yes my dear, the traveler’s case was traced to Jost Van Dyke. I hope that since Jost Van Dyke is on lock down, the main Island would make sure that the residents food supply is met.
I thought no flights were leaving the BVI, SO how did she end up in SVD….I’m just curious
If there are more suspected asymptomatic cases, BVI will not be able to contain it by locking down only JVD. How many residents from JVD have been shopping or paying bills in Tortola since July 15th, the day the woman left the country. Or had a stay-cation on sister islands?
How about you test the residents for the virus instead of locking them inside their homes. The BVI has had plenty of time to plan and acquire more test knowing that it is hurricane season and a storm could slow/prevent access to supplies at any time. Someone should lose their job if the country isn’t prepared to test everyone today.
If you people would only read. The gazette notice said there will be community testing
How about that big party on Prickly Pear this Sunday. They 40 go-fast-boats parked there at a big beach party at Sand Box (now a Covid Party). Them Go fast boats from Tortola & JVD…what now??? We need to get back to serious social distancing. No more big parties. Christmas in July is this weekend and there are parties planned all over the place. PLEASE check this out and not make this the weekend we BLOW it with Covid-19
….So businesses should just remain closed and starve to death? In case you haven’t noticed, the one thing that is not social distancing from us is BILLS!!!!!! There’s NO BREAK for anyone but yet people are shouting close this, cancel that. Then what? Do you think COVID will be any match for the economic destruction that will greet these islands if we keep this up? There needs to be a balance, COVID is here and it’s not going anywhere.
But these hard headed knuckle heads don’t care. Everyone gone wild on the BVI since certain band was lifted. The Government should have only allow essential Services to be open. Bars, strip clubs, nail and hair salons is not essential services. We are going to be right back on lock down soon
and this time it is going to be worse than the last time thanks to the selfish people that refuse to follow and adhere to the rules that was impose. Don’t make it get to the point where you have to fill out an application to get permission to leave your home to go to the store like they were doing in Italy.
And then what? Close all those businesses until 2022?
Compared to seasonal flu it doesn’t have a high death rate, we can’t be locked down forever, we have to find a way of living with this virus. 4.5% of people who had symptoms and were tested died worldwide. That does not include a number scientists say is at least 10 times higher who never got tested because they had it mildly or live in a place where it is difficult/expensive or even impossible to get one. We shouldn’t let our guard down, masks, sanitising, tests for people who come in, but neither should we panic and close down.
The CDC now estimates the death rate at .2%.
Good luck with locking dung JVD. For years and years JVD people been travelling by boat back and forth to St John and St T with no documents or clearance. You won’t keep dem people dung.
I knew it would only be a matter of time before this happen. They pressure the Government to open up things to fast. This is one of the main reasons wearing a mask is so important because there are a lot of people that is ASYMPTOMATIC those are the ones that is spreading the virus. WEAR
THE MASK TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS, CONTINUE TO STAY 6 FEET AWAY FROM OTHERS, KEEP HANDS WASHED AND SANITIZE,IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DO LAUNDRY RIGHT AWAY PUT DIRTY CLOTHES IN A LARGE GARBAGE BAG AND KEEP CLOSED UNTILL YOU DO LAUNDRY, WIPE DOWN YOUR GROCERIES WITH WARM SOAPY BLEACH WATER BEFORE YOU PUT THEM AWAY.
The lockdown of JVD should be a precautionary tale! Let us not take this thing for granted – Covid ain’t playing with us. If all of these parties continue without any regard for the protocols, the whole territory can be locked down again. I definitely don’t want to go back there to be in any lock down. Do you?
To travel out of the USVI anyone there illegally will need to take a boat out. They cannot fly without getting caught by US customs. This means many people will be trying to get to the BVI from the USVI and then fly from here. As more countries start closing their borders to the US then our situation here will only get worse. Put pressure on the police, the go-fast boat owners and the government to do the right thing and ENFORCE BORDER CONTROLS. Or the bubble that we have all worked so hard to maintain is going to pop!
At least the BVI has used the time wisely to stock up on testing kits and has the ability to implement mass community testing.
Track and trace when you don’t know where the victim caught da virus?
governor and premier are going to be over the moon at the chance to imprison people again.
I assume restrictions on dogs at beaches will be reimposed, and motorbikes will not be allowed on the roads after 1pm.
It possibly came in with an illegal visitor from St Thomas.
If all will follow the WHO and the Gov’t stipulated guidlines you won’t be panicking. Wear your masks and wear them properly. The The nose and mouth should be covered to ensure protection. .
Let’s star with our Elected Reps. Stop wearing the mask under you chin, especially when giving an update. You are telling the masses that it is o to wear it like that
Health Dept need to step up their surveillance especially of businesses. Get out there and continue to be proactive. Don’t just spring into action when there is a reported positive case.
So many have become so complacent. Employees and patrons are not wearing Masks. So terrifying.
Employers too need to ensure that the guidelines are maintained.
Asked one employee
in a large busy supermarket why she was not wearing a mask,her response. ‘Government say we don’t have no Conora and beside I can’t breathe good in it’ They are coming up with all kinds of silly excuses for not complying with the guidelines.
People have resumed their old bad behavior. Look at the Group of men on Friday afternoon especially hanging out in public spaces drinking. Those Taxi Drivers by the Pier Park sitting on top of each other all day Playing Domino. Funerals, Some Churches same old practices. Several services in one morning lasting longer than one hour in a confined space.
Can the space be sanitized effectively between each service? Worshipers, ask yourself that question. It is questionable. No enforcement.
Hope the JVD residents was given a chance to at least get some necessary food supplies before the lockdown.
Looked at the preschool on VG graduation recently, and I questioned what is going on there? Someone asked one of the children to take off the mask to say a poem. tfEverything was so wrong with regards to guidelines that should be followed. So sad. With everything that’s going on all around us, people are not getting it.
The government cant keep panicking and locking island down everytime they hear about a case. People out here hurting and starving and by the way dead is dead , if you die from stress and starvation and you die from covid19 dead I’d dead. After the last lock down over 30 persons died from stress related problems and only one died from covid19. ANDREW you and your government continue to keep the people suffering because a couple of people fraid of corona virus and see if you going to be premier next election.
This is getting ridiculous. Old and vulnerable people wear masks and look after your selves. The rest, should get on with their lives. It doesn’t even harm or effect most of us.The regular Flu is just as dangerous and a threat to vulnerable and old people. We don’t close down an entire island when someone catches the flu! WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE!!!!!! Wake up people!!!! No change will come until they have sold us this VACCINE!!! I wish they would just get on with it and end our suffering!
All we of to is be safe
Mr. Premier, you have a heck of an uphill battle with these ignorant folks. I am going to continue following protocols that was implemented and make sure myself and my family is safe. The ones that don’t care, will be saying if they had only known which often comes to late. A neighbor is mad with me because she ask me to give her a ride in Town and I told her anyone that get in the car have to wear a mask, I even offer her a mask and she said she was not wearing no damn mask. No mask, no ride. I even try to tell her once I drop her off in Town, she can take off the mask when she exit the car. Nope, she said again that she is not wearing no damn mask. Okay, but, no mask, no ride.
initial testing of COVID-19 PCR samples collected yesterday July 18. 2020 for the AA 945 flight from Miami has preliminarily revealed four (4) positive cases.
All samples have been sent to CARPHA for analysis as part of the multi-tiered verification system in place. All of the persons who arrived on yesterday’s flight were placed on mandatory quarantine and must adhere to this order.
The public is reminded of the high risk of contracting Covid-19 from persons who may appear well and have arrived with a negative COVID-19 test, but maybe carrying the SARS-CoV-2 is which causes COVID-19. Further updates will be provided upon receipt of the outstanding results.
Two (2) new COVID- 19 cases. not associated with the AA flights have also been detected during exit screening. These cases are under investigation. One new COVID-I 9 case arrived on another airline from the British Virgin Islands.
You do know she arrived in st vincent and was tested on the 15th. Just saying
you do know she was suppose to be re-tested on the 20th which to this date she have not been retested yet. you do know that she is still presently at home with her mother who also travel home and also tested negative. If she was positive as they stated shouldn’tshe be somewhere in quarantine