The Government of the Virgin Islands continues to train additional staff for the offering of Antigen testing as it seeks to reopen the Territory’s ports of entries safely and efficiently to international traffic.
Training has commenced on Virgin Gorda for four new temporary employees for the administration and recording of (rapid) antigen testing for COVID-19.
Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone in a call-to-action social media post on August 24 invited persons to apply for the programme, as the BVI Health Services Authority had received some 45,000 rapid antigen tests and plans are to deploy staff throughout the various ports in the Territory inclusive of Jost Van Dyke, West End, Road Town, Virgin Gorda and Anegada.
Persons are reminded that only fully vaccinated travelers who received the required dosage of COVID-19 vaccines whether it is two doses AstraZeneca or 1 dose Johnson & Johnson two weeks before their travel date will be able to provide antigen test results on the BVI Gateway Portal.
Additionally, only vaccinated persons will be re-tested with the rapid antigen tests at the ports of entry and once yielding a negative result will not be required to quarantine as stated in the COVID-19 Control and Suppression (Entry of Persons) (No. 3) Regulations, 2021.
Honourable Malone also highlighted that the management and staff of the BVI Health Services Authority continue to perform in a most commendable manner as it pertains to arrival testing.
Persons travelling into the Virgin Islands are reminded to complete the BVI Gateway Portal at bvigateway.bviaa.com no less than two (2) days or (48 Hours) before travel date to avoid delays. A negative COVID-19 test must be taken no more than five (5) days before travel date into the Territory.
Partially vaccinated persons who are those who received only one dose of a two-dose required COVID-19 vaccine or travelling within the two weeks of receiving the second dose will be required to provide a negative nasopharyngeal RT-PCR test result on the gateway portal and will be required to re-test with a RT-PCR test on entry with a four-day quarantine requirement.
Partially vaccinated and non-vaccinated travelers are reminded to apply for home quarantine at least five (5) days prior to travel date by completing the form at https://bvimonitor.info/homequarantine.
For technical support, persons should email bvigateway@bviaa.com or WhatsApp 284-496-6129.