Pre-departure Covid testing at mainland US airports would aid the efforts of Caribbean nations to contain the spread of the virus, according to U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr.
Speaking during a Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association online discussion, Gov. Bryan said mandatory pre-flight testing would help make travel to the region easier and boost the reopening efforts of nations.
Recent increases in community transmission in the USVI have come from asymptomatic Virgin Islanders returning from overseas and unknowingly infecting friends and family, Bryan said.
He said bookings for hotels, villa and charter rentals were ‘going through the roof’ before the pandemic hit.
Gov. Bryan said the current month-long tourism shutdown will be used to bolster existing health and sanitary measures and it will invite US mainland doctors and nurses to share their expertise and spend time at local medical facilities.
The USVI recorded its 12th Covid-19 death earlier this week, with about 1,000 tested positive since the pandemic began.
Written by Ray Montgomery, US editor
