TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Possible new 24/7 lockdown

There have been several new positive cases of covid in the BVI . As a result a new 24/7 lockdown is being considered. For me this is a BIG mistake as no country will be able to keep covid from getting in. They need to put their energies into how to best protect the population medically and learn to live with covid. In the USA we have been lied to about the number of cases and now the CDC keeps changing the story. If you look at the real statistics it is astonishing how badly we have been lied to.

OK, please keep this about the BVI. Thanks.

I agree. The BVI needs to learn how to have economy open with safety precautions in place. There are probably asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic residents in BVI. When they all thought they were 100% negative, I imagine there were very few precautions taken (due to human nature).

Knowing there are hidden cases within your population gives you reason to obey recommended precautions. Wash hands/ Mask Up (and cover nose). Outside is good. Space is good.

Actually, all the government offices and retail establishments that I use (grocery, liquor, hardware, electronics, gas stations) have consistently required hand sanitizer and masks since mid-March. Airports, planes, ferry all consistent with handwashing and masks. At restaurants, all the staff is masked and many (not all) patrons wear masks to the door and use sanitizer before entering the premises. The biggest exception is the beach but distancing is pretty easy and it is outdoors. Many places (offices, grocery, airport, bars) also have plexi separators up.

From personal reports I'm getting from the States (Ohio and New York) it seems the precautions are better followed here.

People here are scared. Everyone is well aware there are only 8 ventilators for the country and they are acting accordingly so far.

Opening to tourism would not have resulted in the current outbreak, in my opinion. There would have been testing and precautions in place. This outbreak resulted from people smuggling - and a reluctance to get caught. So there was no testing, no precautions, and very likely a delay in addressing the outbreak.

Now the government is talking openly about the adverse effects on its own finances. How bad are they? We don't know, but a lot of people feel they're not getting the assistance they were promised.

I am not aware of any help they received from any country except maybe Cuba and in that case the medical folks do not speak English leading to possible problems with medications. The UK is no position to offer help (except for military/coast guard help). I suspect the BVI is low on usable finances. How can it keep going with no tourism and little financial offerings. And there is no other source of income. Selling ganja and vegetables will do little. Maybe they could sell citizenship to the country with some income.

Now they are spending something like 50k per day for some cargo ships. You would think the owners of these cargo ships would offer them to the government at no charge.to help the country in their time of need in controlling the border, which they should have done for years.. UK could do this gratis.

I feel terrible for the people of the BVI. But the reality is the country has mismanaged their finances for so long the government needs to held accountable, and the people that elected the govt.

IrmaMaria was a horrible event but it was not worldwide and disaster relief was available. The losses were mostly insured so as soon as folks were made safe repairs started and insurance funds came in. This did not replace tourism dollars but it put people to work.

With Covid there is no insurance so no one is coming to rescue the BVI and the years of government graft and waste that are coming home to roost.

The BVI govt needs to find a way to reopen tourism. Cruise ships are not coming anytime soon. The finance/legal industry is working remotely to the extent they have any business. In typical fashion the government is hiding/lying about the full extent of the financial crisis if they even know.

The UK does not have the resources to fund welfare for the BVI. No other country in the world cares.

The BVIs ability to borrow to get through this crisis is limited. They currently have a negative cash flow and no ability to service new debt. Junk bond status if they made an offering.

Yet there is still talk about expanding the airport.

Wouldn't it be nice to have back that $7 million squandered with the airline.

Again, the BVI government needs to reopen to tourism. Otherwise, by the time this pandemic ends the BVI won't be back 20 years but more like 40.

The UK provided testing equipment and test kits. The UK also offered back in March to protect the borders and just like after Irma, the help was turned away.

Great to hear that BVI people are following recommended precautions.

Much better than I anticipated.

NCSailor, some folks would say going back forty years would be perfect!

I agree with much of what you say, but not all. Insurance covered some Irma damage but much was not covered. We got about 1/3 of what it cost us to rebuild, and that was better than many people. Many had no insurance. The government got $11 million for the main administration building, but schools and other government buildings were uninsured. Various charities reroofed and repaired many houses, but some remain damaged, three years on.

This is important, because many people's savings and post-Irma earnings have gone to rebuild. So Covid found many people already financially insecure.

The government's spending is curious. It's costing a fortune to lease barges, apparently because the police and Customs boats don't work. The British military would help, but weren't invited. Some people question how serious the government is about stopping smuggling.

The reality is the government allowed covid to come by not enforcing the borders (which they should have done for years) but well heeled and important folks in the BVI must be making money in the smuggling trade. They don't want the UK to come in as the smuggling would stop and many locals would be affected..

Listening right now, curfew 1 pm to 5 am daily with every two week updates, focused on community only at this time. Also no vessel travel except as officially authorized.


https://www.facebook.com/BVIGovernment/videos/318217935924417

So bottom line is folks can shop, go to bank (if open) go to the beach to exercise. But all business is closed, no one can work No STT ferry, very limited air transport into Beef Island. At the end of the 2 weeks there should be no active covid cases. Then what?? How is tourism going to start up? A plan is badly needed,. without a plan no tourism product knows what to expect or how to plan for guests.
BVI needs to completely control the local smuggling with hopefully folks who are not beholden to the political parties or those in power or those with the "right" names. Apparently smuggling is a HUGE problem that needs to get controlled.

News Flash 32 million in cash was found on the Norma H (which is a tramp steamer bringing goods from Puerto Rico to USVI to BVII DEA got a tip and it was cash in boxes (lots of boxes)
Cash was going from Puerto Rico to USVI. Someone is missing big bucks in the USVI Someone has a lot of explaining to do.

Another flash news BVI government estimates there are 1500 cases of covid in the BVI Astounding.

Where is that news from???

It was part of the Health Minister's speech today.

I'm guessing that's based on the number of positive tests or something. So they are estimating 5% of the population is infected.

I read the speech: tested total of 3,027 people w/2,965 negative, 47 positive, 15 pending. Don't see where he ever estimated 1,500.

It was inevitable that it would spread. Sadly if it follows the path of most areas they are in for a peak of covid cases about 90 days out followed by a slow decline. Looks like 2021 high season may be gone.
G

The 1400 is bluster so people follow the guidelines just like the Premiers bluster 2 days previous so everyone would accept a 1pm curfew and be thankful.

Search for the words "current estimates place our undocumented cases at approximately 1, 482 persons at a minimum" and you should find it.

No matter what the truth is it has gotten the ear of the CDC which now recommends no travel to the BVI

there is no travel to the BVI from the USA so the CDC needs to wake up same as when they said it was safe to travel

Found it.

It's not clear, but he might be referring to the asymptomatic cases.

I think it was a estimate based on a R0 value as a prediction and not actual