Travel Experiences To/From USVI During The COVID Pandemic

Posted by: @stxdreaming1

@speee1dy

No idea I didn't say that.

i didnt say you did. you were caught up in the quote as well as the person i was replying to , which was jaldeborgh

@speee1dy

Oh

Posted by: @jaldeborgh

 

how would a covid card show you dont have covid and cant pass covid? 

A card, used correctly, would certify that you are vaccinated.  With other viruses, if you’re vaccinated, the data shows you shouldn’t be a transmitter of that virus.  Additionally, if vaccinated, while you may in rare cases, contract the virus but the symptoms will be much less severe.

So I now have my "get out of COVID jail free card" from the CDC. It's been more than a week since my second shot and it is liberating. The clinic where I got the shot said I'll probably need this card to fly in the near future. I am thankful for my employer that made this happen.

Though I will continue to wear a mask and social distance, I will do this out of respect for others who do the same to protect our collective health.

However, I have little regard for the COVIDidiots who have had no regard for my health over the past year. Those selfish people have trapped me in a rental house in FL because they wouldn't do the bare minimum to protect the health of others by wearing a mask, social distancing, not going to indoor bars/restaurants and staying in when having COVID symptoms. I was at the post office yesterday and there was a goon with his nose hanging out from over his mask just waiting to be challenged. I say F you to him and his ilk - I don't wish him well. 

I have lost my mother to this illness, my brother is a long hauler and virtually all relatives under 40 have had COVID at least once (except the physician and spouse who are very careful). 

I am packing and finally flying to my home in the VI in the next couple of months.

My physician says anticipate booster shots from now on.

It is so easy to mass produce fake CDC cards that I am sure Nigeria and China counterfeiting groups are working on it. 

Posted by: @STTsailor

It is so easy to mass produce fake CDC cards that I am sure Nigeria and China counterfeiting groups are working on it. 

Being a graphic designer and printer, I can honestly say that I could knock off an exact replica of those CDC cards in less than 10 minutes. Since I've had my shot already, I have an example of the card in hand. Just sayin'...

Expectation is that the paper cards will be replaced at some point by a digital record that travels with you. However, the information on the card is valuable as a tangible record of digitally stored information.

Unfortunately, the US is building the vaccine plane now as it is being flown. 

Why Americans Should Hold Onto New COVID-19 Vaccine Cards (msn.com)

Posted by: @gators_mom

 

I have lost my mother to this illness, my brother is a long hauler and virtually all relatives under 40 have had COVID at least once (except the physician and spouse who are very careful). 

 

Wow. My father has 9 brothers and sisters, so you can imagine how extensive the family is now. Only two (under 24) have had covid, with no major symptoms. 

Posted by: @cruzaniron

Posted by: @gators_mom

 

I have lost my mother to this illness, my brother is a long hauler and virtually all relatives under 40 have had COVID at least once (except the physician and spouse who are very careful). 

 

Wow. My father has 9 brothers and sisters, so you can imagine how extensive the family is now. Only two (under 24) have had covid, with no major symptoms. 

My family is quite small - I am counting 25 adults including spouses/significant others. 

Twelve persons in the under 40 crowd decided to throw a new years party on our family farm in Kansas. They drove in from as far as Michigan and California to attend. It was an outside event - unless of course you count time spent in the bathroom and kitchen of the old house. ALL of them tested positive for COVID after attending. 

They are blaming a cousin who had full blown COVID in November - who never got a negative test after that but tested positive again/still in January after the spreader event. The thought is that he was still positive but asymptomatic while attending the  party. Most are health care workers and teachers taking it home with them across the US.

Bars/restaurants in the Midwest remain packed on weekends and NO ONE takes serious precautions against COVID - whether required or not. Super bowl watching is going to be a major spreader there since the temp is dropping to BELOW ZERO Fahrenheit now and into the coming week. Go Chiefs! LOL

Be very happy the VI has taken COVID as seriously as it has and is testing these folks prior to them flying to the islands now.

Getting back to the original title of the post, my wife and I flew back to STX from Atlanta on Friday.

We got our same day covid-19 tests on Sunday and completed the travel portal that evening. On Tuesday, we received our QR code emails from the travel portal.

When we landed, we took out our printed test results and pulled up our QR code emails on our phones to be ready for the covid-19 queue. Showing our QR codes allowed us to walk at nearly  our regular pace through the queue, slowing to step around unprepared people who stopped in the queue to find their emails.

People who hadn't completed the travel portal process we're provided forms and diverted to a line with tables so they could fill them out.

Overall, the process seems to be running much smoother than our last flight in early December for people who completed the travel portal process.

Posted by: @rewired

Getting back to the original title of the post, my wife and I flew back to STX from Atlanta on Friday.

We got our same day covid-19 tests on Sunday and completed the travel portal that evening. On Tuesday, we received our QR code emails from the travel portal.

When we landed, we took out our printed test results and pulled up our QR code emails on our phones to be ready for the covid-19 queue. Showing our QR codes allowed us to walk at nearly  our regular pace through the queue, slowing to step around unprepared people who stopped in the queue to find their emails.

People who hadn't completed the travel portal process we're provided forms and diverted to a line with tables so they could fill them out.

Overall, the process seems to be running much smoother than our last flight in early December for people who completed the travel portal process.

Did you have to show your negative COVID-19 test result in order to get on the plane in ATL?

@gators_mom

We did take them out for our entire trip through the airport (including TSA and the boarding gate), but I guess they haven't gotten the governor's memo yet. No one ever asked to see them...

I will be traveling within the next 6 weeks to the USVI. Since I'm residing in FL right now and the COVID rate is below 10% (6.9% on 2/23) here, I don't think I need a COVID test to enter the USVI at this time. Reference policy below.

However, since I had both vaccine jabs in January, I think a positive IGG antibody test taken now should hold me in good stead through the coming months of relocation just in case things change - or I'm asked at the airport once I change my residency to the USVI.  

Anybody know how USVI residents - who don't have home states - are being considered in the policy? The VI is not represented in the referenced Johns Hopkins data that I can see. (WHO says USVI positive test rate is now 3% as of 2/22).

Upon reviewing the USVI travel portal I have noted this:

"Any traveler aged 15 and older whose home state (state of residence) has a COVID-19 positivity rate greater than 10 percent will be required to produce a negative COVID-19 antigen (molecular/PCR/rapid) test result received within five days prior to travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands or a positive COVID-19 antibody test result received within four months of travel to the Territory." 

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS LAUNCHES ONLINE PORTAL TO PRESCREEN ALL TRAVELERS | USVI Department of Health

@gators_mom

My AirBNB guests over the past few weeks have said there was no one asking them for covid test results at the airport. I've heard this from local friends too. Maybe the DoH have given up on it.

Currently all travelers 5 and older have to provide the negative test within 5 days of travel or positive antibody test within 4 months of travel to come into the USVI regardless of where you are coming from. Results need to be uploaded into the travel portal 24 hrs prior to travel.  Air travelers are being denied boarding planes to USVI without the proper tests. (This happened to a friend of mine last week when she tried to return home to STT)

I think a negative COVID-19 test is currently required just to get on any commercial airline in the USA, independent of the USVI requirements.