The British Virgin Islands will be demoted from the United Kingdom’s Green Watch List for Travel to their Amber List, from Monday July 19.
This new development stems from the recent spike in active COVID-19 cases in the BVI which up until Thursday July 15 stood at 1559 active cases.
Persons travelling from countries on the Amber List into the United Kingdom must follow specific travel protocols when entering that country.
No quarantine for fully vaccinated persons
The protocols exempt fully vaccinated persons and children under 18 who have not been in a red list country in the 10 days prior to arriving in England, from having to quarantine on arrival and from having to take a day-8 COVID-19 test.
However, vaccinated persons will still be required to book a day-2 COVID-19 test after arriving in the UK.
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated must quarantine
In contrast, persons who are not fully vaccinated now have to quarantine on arrival in the UK and must take both the day-2 and day-8 COVID-19 tests.
Therefore, prior to arrival, they must take a COVID-19 test, book and pay for day-2 and day-8 COVID-19 travel tests – to be taken after arrival in England, and complete a passenger locator form.
Once arriving in England unvaccinated persons must quarantine at a place of residence or a hotel for 10 days and take a COVID-19 test on or before day-2 and on or after day-8.
The BVI was added to the UK’s Green Watch List for Travel less than a month ago.
As the territory continues to register high numbers of COVID-19 cases it is likely that a number of other countries and territories will also be imposing heightened travel protocols for persons arriving from the BVI.
One such territory includes the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), which is set to announce new protocols for persons traversing between the USVI and the BVI today Thursday July 15 at 1pm.