Making the announcement in the House of Assembly Thursday morning, December 31, Health Minister Carvin Malone said the ban will take effect on January 11, 2021.

The ban will not apply to nationals, Belongers, residents, work permit holders, persons permitted to reside in the territory, diplomats, and persons employed by government and its statutory bodies.

“Cabinet decided to implement a 14 day’s quadrant or quarantine period for all persons allowed to travel to the BVI under the previously-mentioned exceptions, provided that they undergo an RT-PCR testing regime on days on entry — Day 0, Day 7, and Day 14,” Malone stated.

He continued: “Cabinet decided to use 20 positive cases as a trigger to inform a decision by Cabinet regarding travel restrictions to the territory except for nationals, Belongers, residents, work permit holders, persons permitted to reside in the territory, diplomats and persons employed by government and statutory agencies.”

Malone also informed the House of Assembly that government’s Public Health Order that expires today, December 31, will be extended until January 15.

The Health Minister further made it clear that his government does not make these protocol decisions lightly; adding that they have been proven to work.

“We must be ready to make the hard decisions and implement what is necessary to keep the territory and the people’s lives safe here in the Virgin Islands,” Malone argued.