by Brian Major
Last updated: 11:37 AM ET, Tue September 15, 2020
The U.S. Virgin Islands will re-open its borders to international travelers beginning September 19, according to a statement on a government's tourism website. Territory officials began allowing hotels and accommodation providers to accept new leisure travel reservations on September 12.
The reopening comes nearly one month after the government closed the territory's borders to international visitors on August 17 as COVID-19 rates spiked that month. U.S. Virgin Islands officials had originally reopened the country's borders to visitors in June.
Under the new policy, all travelers to the territory arriving on or after September 19 will be required to upload proof of a negative COVID-19 test result via an online portal designed to pre-screen visitors for coronavirus prior to arrival.
Visitors from U.S. states with COVID-19 positivity rates of more than 10 percent who arrive on or before September 18 will also be required to upload proof of a negative COVID-19 test result. Travelers who have spent more than seven days in or are traveling from a highly impacted state will also be required to upload a negative test result if they arrive in the U.S. Virgin Islands on or before September 18.
Travelers who arrive without proof of a negative COVID-19 test result will be subject to mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days, from the time of entry into the territory or the duration of the traveler's stay, whichever is shorter.
Persons ordered to self-quarantine will be escorted directly from the airport to a Virgin Islands Department of Health-designated quarantine location and will be responsible for all associated costs, including transportation, lodging, food and medical care.
All travelers will be subject to COVID-19 enhanced screening procedures including temperature checks upon arrival in the territory. Travelers who have not received certification from the USVI Travel Screening Portal will be required to complete a COVID-19 Traveler Screening Questionnaire.
Visitors with temperature readings below 100.4°F who have received certification via the online portal or who also answer "no" to all questions on the COVID-19 Traveler Screening Questionnaire will be free to leave the airport and proceed with their visit.
Travelers with readings above 100.4°F will be escorted by the Virgin Islands Department of Health (VIDOH) and/or the Virgin Islands National Guard for purposes of quarantine and a second temperature screening. After a 10-minute break, health personnel will retake the passenger's temperature.
Visitors whose temperatures remain at 100.4°F or above and/or have answered "yes" to any of the questions, will be subject to self-quarantine at the VIDOH's designated quarantine location.
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