The notice listed the BVI as a very low-risk jurisdiction for travellers to contract COVID-19, while many other neighbouring countries were categorised as high risked places to travel at this time.

Speaking to BVI News in a recent interview, Minister Malone said: “This notice is proof of our protocols that we had started from in March. It is proof in the investments that we have made in making sure that we balance lives and livelihoods.”

“This status was not gained just by chance, it was gained after careful analysis, careful implementation and careful adherence and we must give credit to the hard-working team of the HEOC to the government of the Virgin Islands and to the people of the Virgin Islands.”

Investment into healthcare showing paying off

Malone also said the millions of dollars the BVI government invested into local healthcare during the pandemic has also contributed to the global recognition by the CDC.

“We were adamant that if we invested in the development of our healthcare infrastructure that we can then look in terms of an early and sustained reopening of our internal borders and then later our external borders,” the minister stated.

“As we see it we had to make sure that the quarantine regime works and we have seen whereby the process of having persons quarantined – the one case that was announced so far – we were able to catch the person before they were released in the general public,” he added.

So far, the BVI has recorded a total of 12 positive COVID-19 cases. Three of these cases remain active, eight have recovered, and one has died.