June 14, 2021, US Virgin Islands -The VI Department of Health (VIDOH) reminds the public and businesses to continue utilizing COVID-19 safety measures – masks are still mandatory in all businesses and public spaces. This policy applies to staff and patrons. In addition, businesses are subject to fines and closure if they do not comply with the “No Mask, No Service” policy designed to keep COVID-19 from spreading.
Masks are necessary to avoid COVID-19 spreading throughout the community. This virus mainly spreads through the air during contact with others. Transmission can also occur through frequently touched surfaces – sanitizing surfaces and hands is essential to prevent the virus.
There is currently a COVID-19 surge centered in St. Thomas, with 93 active cases originating in the past week. The number of active cases on St. Thomas has stayed near 100 since the last week of May. Residents and visitors of all three islands should remain vigilant.
St. Croix has 15 active cases. St. John has one active case. While this seems like good news for those islands – residents and visitors should not let their guard down. COVID-19 can quickly move throughout the territory via inter-island travel.
This surge reinforces the need for vaccination and basic COVID-19 prevention measures – including mask-wearing, social distancing, and frequent hand and environmental sanitization to prevent the emergence of additional cases.
The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 is for all eligible residents to get vaccinated. The latest CDC data shows the vaccines massively reduce the odds of catching and spreading the virus during both asymptomatic and symptomatic infections. To schedule an appointment for the Pfizer, Moderna, or Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, please visit covid19usvi.com/vaccines or call (340) 777-8227.
VIDOH urges all residents and visitors to fact-check information on social media with accurate information from legitimate sources. These sources include primary care doctors, VIDOH, Government House, and the CDC.
For more information, visit https://www.covid19usvi.com or https://www.vi.gov/covid/.
For COVID-19 updates, text COVID19USVI to 88877.
Visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html for science-based answers to the latest COVID-19 questions.
To report a suspected case of COVID-19, please call (340) 712-6299 or (340) 776-1519. If you have a medical emergency, call 911.
