Masks have been proven to diminish the chances of contracting or spreading Covid-19. By. GETTY IMAGES
Welcome to the third edition of "The Monday Digest", a new series on VI Consortium that helps our readers start the week with excerpts of stories that occurred over the weekend.
Before we get into it, join the thousands of Virgin Islanders who have already downloaded the VI Consortium app on either their iPhone or Android phones. VIC readers have hailed it as a must-have, as it provides an alert when important news happens. Get it here.
Here are the top weekend stories:
Governor Bryan is Ready to Ease Coronavirus Restrictions
Mr. Bryan on Tuesday will ease restrictions as the territory re-enters the "Stay at Home" phase of reopening for the second time. Under this phase, non-essentials will reopen, along with restaurants. Lodging establishments will be allowed to accept reservations beginning Sept. 12 in preparation for the Sept. 18 lifting of the temporary halt on leisure guests to the USVI. Full story here.
40 Covid-19 cases reported Over the Weekend
The V.I. Dept. of Health on Friday reported 17 Covid-19 cases. On Saturday the department announced 14 cases for a total of 31 infections between the two days. The department earlier in the week had seen steady declines, and on Sunday, D.O.H. reported 9 Covid-19 cases for a weekend total of 40. Even so, cases have been trending lower compared to the high numbers seen before the latest Stay-at-Home order.
17th Covid-19 Death Announced
D.O.H. on Saturday reported the 17th Covid-19 related death in territory, which occurred in St. Thomas. The man, age 93, was previously on a ventilator at the Schneider Regional Medical Center, though he was not ventilated at the time of his passing, according to Health officials.
It was the second Covid-19 related death D.O.H. announced in one week. Prior to the 17th fatality, St. John registered its first coronavirus death: a 59-year-old man.
Virtual School Year for Head Start to Begin Sept. 14
The Head Start Program's 2020-2021 school year will begin virtually on September 14 "until it is determined that in-person instruction can safely resume," D.H.S. announced over the weekend.
To prepare for the launch of the virtual school year, Head Start staff will be contacting parents the week of September 7th for initial orientation and distribution of learning packets, according to the Dept. of Human Services. Full details here.
In other news, Sunday made three years since Hurricane Irma ravaged St. Thomas and St. John; a Ranger American armored truck caught on fire in Kingshill, St. Croix; the Dept. of Health has received 800 vials of the Covid-19 treatment drug Remdesivir from the New Jersey government; and members of the 30 million-strong global travel company, Travelzoo, has rated the USVI as the number 1 destination they would visit in the Caribbean over the next two years, according to the Dept. of Tourism.
Read our previous Monday Digest here.
