Cruise ships wins the battle of having COVID-19 testing requirements waived for passengers who depart their vessels, once remaining inside newly established passenger bubbles.
This announcement was made by Premier Andrew Fahie during a media conference on Friday September 3, to update the public on a number of decisions made by Cabinet on the Cruise Industry.
Premier Fahie said Cabinet decided “to remove the requirement for rapid testing for fully vaccinated cruise ship passengers and crew visiting the territory for less than 24 hours subject to enhanced COVID-19 protocols, including passenger bubbles and enhanced COVID-19 monitoring and enforcement.”
He also said that a taskforce was now established, which will be headed by the Director of the BVI Tourist Board to develop, implement and enforce a cruise ship bubble operational plan and to report its contents to the Cabinet in one week.
Rapid test for those travelling outside bubble
The premier who is responsible for tourism, further said that provisions were made for those passengers wanting to travel outside of the bubble, who must undergo a rapid antigen test before being permitted to leave the bubble.
He said, “The cruise liners in transit to the Virgin Islands that subject their fully vaccinated passengers and cruise to rapid tests within 24 hours of arrival would not be subject to the bubble protocol and would be allowed to move freely with in the territory.”
“Cabinet also agreed that cruise ship passengers wishing not to be part of the bubble and be allowed to move freely within the territory will be subject to an approved rapid test with the results available within 5 minutes,” he added.
Cruise ships require to report all ill passengers
The tourism minister added that precautionary provisions were made to further prevent ill cruise ship passengers from making it into the territory, by requiring all cruise vessels prior to entering any port in the BVI, to report any person on board exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.
In addition, the premier said that all persons working closely with cruise ship passengers will be subjected to biweekly rapid testing, to protect the territory from any possibility of contracting or spreading the virus.
“Cabinet also approved that every two weeks, from the arrival of the first cruise ship during the restart of the cruise ship season, all taxi operators and businesses and government agencies that interact with passengers and crew of the ships who participated in the bubble or free flow, would undergo a rapid test, the cost of which shall be borne by the government of the Virgin Islands as a pilot for a period of three months, in an attempt to secure the safety of our residents, while balancing lives with livelihood,” he explained.
In the meantime, the BVI Ports Authority, BVI Tourist Board, the Taxi Livery and Commission, Environmental Health Division, along with other government agencies will be tasked to ensure that all government protocols are adhered to by all disembarking passengers, taxi operators and business operators especially those at the Cyril B Romney Tortola Pier Park.