COVID-19 Updates and Business Resources

Please visit this page often as this situation is fluid and changing daily.

Below are updates and resources with links to official information related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Get updated USVI COVID-19 Health Stats

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COVID-19 in the USVI

Current USVI Response:

There is a State of Emergency in effect. The Territory is currently in
Phase Yellow: Safer At Home

The following regulations are in effect by order of the Governor of the Virgin Islands.
Source: Executive Orders vi.gov/executive-orders

Updated: May 26, 2021

Per the 24th Supplemental Order of May 25, 2021

Eviction suspension

The Governor’s new directive amends the restrictions placed on landlord-tenant actions in the 21^st Supplemental Order of January 27, 2021, regarding evictions, which will be suspended until at least July 30, 2021.

To qualify for the eviction suspension, tenants must meet three criteria:

1. They are being evicted for financial reasons or non-payment of rental fees.
2. They have been financially impacted by COVID-19.
3. They have a pending Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) Application with the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority.

About the ERAP Program

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) has been created to help individuals and families who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 to pay rent and/or utilities dating as early as March 2020. If you rent your home and have fallen behind in monthly payments to your landlord, you may be eligible for funding that could prevent you from eviction due to non-payment.

For More information on the ERAP program and to apply visit https://erap.vihfa.gov/

Restaurants/Bars/Nightclubs | Business & Recreation | Community | Travel & Tourism

No Mask, No Service
Any individuals gathering for any purpose, including but not limited to visitors, patrons, employees, managers, directors, or owners of commercial entities or businesses, public or private, are required to wear a mask or facial covering when entering in any business, office, or any public areas not their private home when 2 or more individuals of different households meet or interact in any manner not able to utilize social distancing techniques.

• Masks or facial coverings must cover both the nose and mouth of the individual.
• Masks with exhalation valves or vents should NOT be worn to help prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading COVID-19 to others.
• Ski masks and stocking caps are prohibited as use for facial coverings.
• Masks or facial coverings should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• Individuals who have a physician’s certification that they have a respiratory medical condition preventing them from wearing facial coverings are exempt from the requirement to wear a mask.
• Masks or facial coverings do not have to be worn during active exercise, indoor or outdoor.
• All passengers and drivers of mass or public transportation, including but not limited to Vitran buses, taxicabs, and automobiles for hire, shall be required to wear a mask or facial covering.
• Violations of this Subsection shall be punishable by a fine of fifty dollars ($50) for a first offense and one hundred dollars ($100) for each additional offense pursuant to Section 4 of the Twelfth Supplemental Executive Order issued on August 10, 2020

Social Distancing
In coordination with the Commissioner of the DOH and in alignment with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), all persons are urged to maintain social distancing of at least four feet away from other people that are not of their same household, whenever possible. All individuals are urged to continue to wash their hands, utilize hand sanitizer, and practice proper respiratory etiquette (including coughing into elbow) as often as possible.

Mass Gatherings
For purposes of the Safer-at-Home Phase, a “mass gathering” is defined as any event or convening that brings together more than One Hundred (100) persons in a single room or single space at the same time. “Spaces” shall include but not be limited to an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, theater, house of worship, restaurant, bar, parking lot, or any other confined indoor or outdoor space. This includes all parades, fairs, festivals, and camping on public beaches or parks.

• Mass gatherings shall be prohibited in the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• A mass gathering does not include operations for standard, essential services and infrastructures such as grocery stores and big-box stores, operations at airports, seaports, bus stops, medical facilities, or hotels. It also does not include office (government and private) environments, factories, refineries, marinas, construction sites, grocery stores, pharmacies, fuel service stations or other retail establishments that provide essential services and are large enough to accommodate for the practice of social distancing of six feet or more between persons.
• The Enforcement Authority and Penalties: All Enforcement Officers are hereby directed to fully enforce the provisions of Title 23 VIC Sections 371, 372, 373, and 374 regarding Mass Gatherings as prohibited. Any violation of these provisions shall be punishable by a fine of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per congregating person and Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) per organizer of any such prohibited mass event. 21st Supplemental Order
• Organized Activities – Any and all organized activities, as authorized by this subsection, as amended, supplemented, renewed, and extended, must obtain approval from the Commissioner of Health in addition to any other regulatory agency with jurisdiction, prior to the gathering. 20th Supplemental Order

Source: Executive Orders vi.gov/executive-orders

Restaurants| Bars| Food Service

Restaurants
are allowed to resume dine-in operations under the following conditions:

• Update allowing Bar Seating: Alcohol or food can be served only to patrons who are seated at designated seats at the bar counter. Designated and assigned seats at the bar counters must be placed so that each party is at least 4 feet away from any other party or table.
• Seated patrons, whether seated at a table or at the bar counter, may order food, or alcohol, or both, so long as they are seated at a designated seating area.
• Employees must wear facial coverings at all times
• Patrons should wear facial coverings whenever they are not seated at a table
• Patrons waiting for take-out orders must wait outside the restaurant. Restaurants may sell alcoholic beverages with take-out orders.
• There shall be no service of alcohol to persons outside of the restaurant.
• All restaurants and any other establishments with the following alcohol licenses: Storekeeper Liquor License, Tavernkeeper-Storekeeper Liquor License, Tavernkeeper Liquor License (A) or Tavernkeeper Liquor License (B), Hotelkeeper Liquor License, and Club Liquor License in the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands shall cease the sale or distribution of alcohol from 11:00 pm until 8:00 am daily.
• Restaurants shall be closed to patrons from 12:00 am until 6:00 am daily.
• Restaurants shall limit the number of patrons in the establishment, as of Monday, March 8, 2021, 75% of the regular occupancy capacity set by Business License or Fire Marshal prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, or 50 customers, whichever is less, based on which temporary occupancy certificates may be issued.
• Restaurants that have been issued a Certificate of Exemption from DOH pursuant to an inspection of sanitization equipment and procedures shall be exempt from the requirement for the use of disposable dishes, utensils, napkins, and drink containers mandated by the COVID-19 Guidance for Restaurants, Bars and Nightclubs issues in the 8th Supplemental Executive Order on May 30, 2020, as amended and supplemented.

Food Trucks
shall operate on a “drive-through”, “take-out”, or “delivery” basis only. If a food truck has a seating area that was previously permitted, the food struck shall then be allowed to operate as Restaurants above.

Bars, Nightclubs, and Cabarets

• Update allowing Bar Seating: Alcohol or food can be served only to patrons who are seated at designated seats at the bar counter. Designated and assigned seats at the bar counters must be placed so that each party is at least 4 feet away from any other party or table.
• Seated patrons, whether seated at a table or at the bar counter, may order food, or alcohol, or both, so long as they are seated at a designated seating area.
• There shall be no dancing by anyone, including staff, inside or outside an establishment with a bar, cabaret, or nightclub license.

Business & Recreation

All non-essential businesses
shall be allowed to open, as limited below and further by any other sections and subsections of this ORDER and any applicable terms and conditions of the previous orders still in effect:

• Private business offices currently closed are allowed to re-open. All employees that are not critical to in-person operations or that are not classified as essential are recommended to continue working from home or remotely.
• Retail stores are allowed to re-open but shall not permit more than 10 individuals into the establishment at any given time. This limitation of 10 individuals shall not apply to establishments previously exempted to include grocery stores, big-box stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, and fuel service stations. Still, the practice of social distancing of six feet or more between persons must be maintained.

Indoor/Outdoor Recreations Facilities
such as bowling alleys and movie theaters are allowed to re-open as of September 8, 2020 and Casinos and Gaming Centers are allowed to reopen as of September 19, 2020 under the following conditions:

• High Risk sports are prohibited. All organized sports, The sale of food and beverages or hosting of parties shall be prohibited.
• Facilities should be closed to patrons from 12:00 am until 6:00 am daily.
• Facilities shall limit the number of patrons in the establishment to 50% of the regular occupancy capacity set by Business License or Fire Marshal prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, or 50 customers, whichever is less, based on which temporary occupancy certificates may be issues.

Athletic Facilities
such as wellness centers, fitness centers, gyms, tennis courts, and golf courses are allowed to re-open in accordance with COVID-19 GUIDANCE FOR GYM AND FITNESS CENTER RE-OPENING issued in the 8th Supplemental Executive Order on May 30, 2020,as supplemented or amended by the following terms and conditions:

• recommended social distancing requirement of 6 feet or more between individuals is maintained, and group limits are set within the mass gathering limitations.
• All equipment must be properly sanitized before and after each use and not shared.
• The overall facility must be sanitized regularly throughout the day. Hand sanitizer must be provided for all patrons entering the establishment.
• Contact sports, including but not limited to basketball, volleyball, and football, are strictly prohibited.

Personal Grooming Services
businesses such as barbershops, hair salons, nail salons, massage therapists are permitted to re-open as long as:

• All equipment, furniture, and counters are disinfected after use with each client, and the facility is sanitized regularly throughout the day. Hand sanitizer must be provided for all patrons entering the establishment.
• All customers awaiting services are to wait outside of the business establishment and must be socially distanced.
• Any additional guidelines for these types of services provided by the Department of Health shall be strictly followed.

COMMUNITY

Houses of Worship
Although we encourage churches to protect their members by continuing to provide virtual services to the greatest extent possible, churches are allowed to re-open to conduct service, in accordance with the COVID-19 GUIDANCE FOR RE-OPENING HOUSES OF WORSHIP FOR SERVICES issued in the 8th Supplemental Executive Order on May 30, 2020,as supplemented or amended by the following terms and conditions:

• Churches and houses of worship may seat 50% of their capacity up to 200 individuals, including pastoral leaders, employees, and volunteers. Social distancing guidelines must be followed and masks are required.
• Everyone, including the pastoral leaders, employees, and volunteers, must wear a facial covering at all times.
• Religious leaders may conduct service without a mask provided that they stay 10 feet away from all persons while unmasked.
• Attendance at a funeral or memorial is limited to immediate family only, and no more than 10 family members at any one time.
• Churches are permitted to provide communion provided it is presented to the receivers in protected containers that do not require any administration by the officiant.

Nursing Homes: Visitation to nursing homes is strictly prohibited

Beaches all beaches in the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands shall be closed from 5: 00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. the following day on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Only fishermen may be on the beach during the beach closure to access their vessels or cast their nets. There shall be no picnics, no parties, no disc-jockey (DJ), no DJ equipment or the likes, no camping, no bonfire, no cooking, no barbecuing or grilling allowed on any beach in the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Schools Childcare facilities are to remain closed subject to guidance provided by the Department of Human Services.

• As of Tuesday, March 2, 2021 public school Pre-K, 1st Grade, Special Education, and Career & Technical Education resume in-person learning with revised schedules. Refer to vide.vi for details.
• As of Tuesday, March 9, 2021 public school 2nd Grade and 3rd Grade resume in-person learning with revised schedules. Refer to vide.vi for details.
• All public school campuses will be closed for students. Virtual learning programs or classes are allowed as scheduled by the Virgin Islands Department of Education.
• All private and parochial school campuses are allowed to re-open subject to review and approval of guidelines provided by the Department of Health and continued adherence to all Department Of Health guidelines.
• All other terms, conditions, and requirements of the Executive Orders issued from March 13, 2020, through August 28, 2020, as amended, supplemented, renewed, and extended, not in conflict with this Order, shall remain in full force and effect.

Boating Guidelines DPNR is to enforce anchoring guidelines per the 12th Supplemental Executive Order on July 28, 2020 so long as the Territory remains in a State of Emergency.

• There shall be NO rafting (vessels tying up together) at any time in any of the bays or anchorages of the Territory and such vessels must maintain at least twelve (12) feet between vessels at all times, unless as a result of a medical emergency.
• No vessels shall anchor in designated swim zones.
• Any violation of this section shall result in a fine of up to $10,000 per incident and/or possible seizure of the vessel by the Government of the US Virgin Islands.

Tourism and Travel

Guest Accommodations
As of September 19, 2020 all hotels, guest-houses, villas, bed and breakfasts, shared economy hospitality bookings, AirBnBs, any temporary vacation housing, charter vessels, or any similar business known by any other terminology, may accept, receive, check-in, Or register guests. (prohibition on guest arrivals expires September 18, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.)

Taxicabs and Safari busses
The change to the passenger limits for taxis – which also includes safaris, taxi vans, and limousines – amends the 22^nd Supplemental Order issued on March 1, 2021, allows those vehicle-for-hire services to raise their passenger limits from 50 percent of permitted capacity to 75 percent of permitted capacity.

Masks must be worn by the driver and all passengers at all times; if all the passengers in the taxicab or safari are of the same family or group, the taxicab or safari may exceed the limitation on capacity.

Travel to the United States Virgin Islands

• Effective September 8, 2020, As long as the Territory remains in the State of Emergency, as declared on March 13, 2020,  as amended,  supplemented,  extended, and renewed, unless earlier lifted by order of the Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, every person who travels to or enters the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands, before boarding the aircraft or vessel, must present a COVID-19 negative PCR test result obtained within 5-days of commencement of  travel  to the US Virgin Islands or a positive COVID-19 Antibody test result received within four (4) months of travel to the US Virgin Islands.
• This travel restriction currently applies to passengers age 5 years and older. Every person covered under this section shall be responsible for all associated costs, including transportation, lodging, food, and medical care.
• Travelers should upload their negative COVID-19 PCR test results to usvitravelportal.com prior to arrival.

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Executive Orders provide more detail on the current status and allowed business operations

• View all current US Virgin Islands Executive Orders and Guidance for Businesses

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Department of Labor Updates

Unemployment benefits

• VIDOL has implemented the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which allots an additional 12 weeks of unemployment assistance to individuals should it be necessary. To file an online application, visit the website at vidol.gov or contact their call center at 1-877-374-0356.

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US Virgin Islands Departments & Resources

Official CoronavirusReference Sites

• CDC: Coronavirus and Travel in the United States
• Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Map
• World Health Organization (WHO): Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak

US Virgin Islands Official Reference Sites

• Virgin Islands Department of Health (VIDOH) COVID-19
• VITEMA (Virgin Islands Territorial Management Association)
• VIDOH Information for Travelers
• Virgin Islands Department of Tourism COVID-19 Updates

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) & BIR Updates

The IRS has pushed back the Federal tax filing deadline from April 15 to July 15 according to the Treasury Department. More information regarding IRS Tax Relief can be found at irs.gov/coronavirus

The income tax filing deadline for 2019 tax returns has been extended to July 15, and the Taxpayer Assistance Program has been suspended until further notice.

All face-to-face appointments have been cancelled until mid-April.

Taxpayers who need to clear imported goods through excise tax offices are asked to use the online system at https://excise.bir.vi.gov.

All tax returns that need to be filed should be done by mail, with a certified receipt, if possible. Include an extra copy of the return stamped, self-addressed envelope so the Bureau can return a stamped copy.

The St. John office is closed until further notice. St. Croix and St. Thomas office hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, and cashiering services will be available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily until further notice.

For more information, call 340-773-1040 on St. Croix and 340-774-1040 on St. Thomas.  Use the following extensions and email address for specific needs:

• Audit Division – St. Croix extension  is 4233 and St. Thomas extension is 2271, or send an email to pcranston@irb.gov.vi
• Delinquent Accounts and Returns – St. Croix extension  is 4254 and St. Thomas extension is 2232, or send an email to secarr@irb.gov.vi
• Processing – St. Croix number is 340-712-2513 and St. Thomas extension is 2223, or send an email to rdavis@irb.gov.vi
• Excise Division – St. Croix number is 340-778-1021 and St. Thomas extension is 3201, or send an email to ghodge@irb.gov.vi
• Director’s Office – St. Croix extension  is 4225 and St. Thomas extension is 4225, or send an email to cwilliams@irb.gov.vi

The Bureau of Internal Revenue website is bir.vi.gov.

FEMA Response and Resources

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response

OSHA Guidance Resources related to COVID-19

USVI Department of Human Services

Cash, Food and Energy Assistance Programs Ready to Help Through Uncertain Times with Telephone Interviews and Relaxed Federal Guidelines

In response to the Covid19 Pandemic, the USVI Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Division of Family Assistance announced that their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly known as Food Stamps), cash, and energy assistance programs are ready to serve existing and new clients through conducting interviews via telephone rather than in person for everyone’s health and wellness. Download Details below:

WTJX Educational Resources

CDC Guidance

The CDC has compiled some excellent guidance for business owners: Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers, Plan, Prepare and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019

Other important CDC links:

• COVID-19 Website
• What You Need to Know About COVID-19pdf icon
• What to Do If You Are Sick With COVID-19pdf icon
• Interim US Guidance for Risk Assessment and Public Health Management of Persons with Potential Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Exposure in Travel-associated or Community Settings
• Health Alert Network
• Travelers’ Health Website
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Small Business International Travel Resource Travel Plannerpdf icon
• Coronavirus Disease 2019 Recommendations for Ships