Coronavirus

As Covid Endemicity Takes Hold in USVI, Dept. of Health Issues New Workplace Guidance; Quarantine Lift Letters Being Phased Out

The V.I. Dept. of Health has released new workplace guidance as part of the U.S. Virgin Islands' transition to endemicity with the coronavirus.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a disease is endemic when it is a constant presence in a population, follow predictable patterns and occur at an expected, baseline level. "To put it another way, an endemic disease is consistently present, but it spreads at predictable rates that can be managed by communities," said the CDC. As of Friday there were 882 active Covid-19 cases territory-wide, with St. Croix accounting for 587 of those cases, followed by St. Thomas with 239, and St. John with 56. The positivity rate stood at 12.96 percent. D.O.H. said it is now aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for precautionary recommendations for isolation and quarantine after Covid-19 infection or exposure. These recommendations should be followed and used as guidance for employees, according to the depar...