CDC says BVI is ‘moderately risky’ despite COVID absence
Although the BVI has been enjoying several weeks without any active COVID-19 cases, the United States Centres for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has only downgraded its travel warning against the territory to level 2.
Travel to level 2 countries is deemed ‘moderately risky’, and the CDC says, “older adults, people of any age with certain underlying medical conditions, and others at increased risk for severe illness [should] postpone all nonessential travel” to these destinations.
The CDC says “Some examples of essential travel may include traveling for humanitarian aid work, medical reasons, or family emergencies.”
Using this example, the CDC would consider vacations to be non-essential travel.
“COVID-19 risk in the British Virgin Islands is moderate. Over the last 28 days, new cases of COVID-19 in the British Virgin Islands decreased or stabilized. If you get sick in the British Virgin Islands and need medical care, resources such as hospital beds may be limited. Plan ahead and learn more about getting healthcare abroad,” the CDC website said.
The US regularly issues travel warnings and alerts against countries because of widespread violence and natural disasters. But this doesn’t mean that persons are banned from visiting any country flagged by the US.
Health Minister Carvin Malone has said the government has put measures in place at the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital to handle possible COVID-19 cases after the territory’s December 1 reopening to visitors.
He said the government is hoping it doesn’t have to use any of it’s eight ventilators to treat severe COVID-19 cases. But, in any case, medical travel insurance which includes COVID-19 coverage is among the list of terms and conditions for all arriving passengers after December 1.
Meanwhile the United States continues to lead the world as one of the countries most infested with COVID-19. The numbers continue to trend upward in that country where over 11.2 million cases have been recorded and almost 300 thousand have died.
Before this level 2 ranking, the CDC had ranked the BVI as a level 3 country and warned all travellers to not to visit as the risk of contracting COVID-19 was ‘very high’.
The CDC says “Some examples of essential travel may include traveling for humanitarian aid work, medical reasons, or family emergencies.”
Using this example, the CDC would consider vacations to be non-essential travel.
“COVID-19 risk in the British Virgin Islands is moderate. Over the last 28 days, new cases of COVID-19 in the British Virgin Islands decreased or stabilized. If you get sick in the British Virgin Islands and need medical care, resources such as hospital beds may be limited. Plan ahead and learn more about getting healthcare abroad,” the CDC website said.
The US regularly issues travel warnings and alerts against countries because of widespread violence and natural disasters. But this doesn’t mean that persons are banned from visiting any country flagged by the US.
Health Minister Carvin Malone has said the government has put measures in place at the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital to handle possible COVID-19 cases after the territory’s December 1 reopening to visitors.
He said the government is hoping it doesn’t have to use any of it’s eight ventilators to treat severe COVID-19 cases. But, in any case, medical travel insurance which includes COVID-19 coverage is among the list of terms and conditions for all arriving passengers after December 1.
Meanwhile the United States continues to lead the world as one of the countries most infested with COVID-19. The numbers continue to trend upward in that country where over 11.2 million cases have been recorded and almost 300 thousand have died.
Before this level 2 ranking, the CDC had ranked the BVI as a level 3 country and warned all travellers to not to visit as the risk of contracting COVID-19 was ‘very high’.