Statement by His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Augustus Jaspert
in Light of the COVID-19 Update for the Territory
 

7 April, 2020

Good morning all.  

You heard from the Premier and Honourable Minister for Health yesterday the welcome news that we have had confirmation that all of the 17 samples that were out for testing by CARPHA have been confirmed as negative.

This is excellent news and a relief for us all, particularly those who have been awaiting results and their family and friends. I am thrilled to begin the week with the knowledge that those 17 individuals are safe and healthy and BVI’s overall number of cases remains low.  The numbers in mandatory quarantine are also reducing daily.

I am also encouraged by this news because it means that our Government’s strategy for containing the virus here in this Territory appears to be working. So thank you again for complying with the curfew and other measures from our Government. By working together we can beat this virus.

But we need to acknowledge that we’re not out of the woods yet. We must continue to comply with the curfew and other measures in order to protect one another. As the Premier said, we have one opportunity to get this right and the safety of the people of this Territory is our top priority. The Premier also set out scientific research that has identified how effective isolating ourselves can be in stopping the spread of this virus. He urged everyone in the British Virgin Islands to abide by the curfew for the good of all of us. I reiterate that advice. 

We’ve all seen the devastating impact this virus has had on communities around the world and how it can impact on each and every one of us. By adhering to the advice to stay at home now we can break the chain and protect those around us. We recognise this means personal sacrifice and hardship - these are challenging times for us all. But if we all continue to stay in our homes, we can keep ahead of the virus in this Territory. We know that you will all be keen to hear what the plans are for the end of this curfew period. Cabinet’s plans on that are well underway and we will be updating you as plans develop.

I again want to thank all of the individuals and teams who are working to protect us. We can help them by complying with the curfew.

I’d also like to thank all our friends around the world who have been providing help and support, as mentioned by the Minister of Health. Amongst others, this of course includes the UK Government who are regularly sharing medical expertise with our teams as well as crucial supplies such as testing kits. This support will continue.

Many of you would have heard the news that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, is in hospital with coronavirus. At Cabinet we sent our prayers for his quick and full recovery and I know these sentiments will be shared across our Territory. Once again, though, this highlights that this virus knows no boundaries and can affect anyone.

So please - Stay home, stay positive and stay healthy.  Thank you and may God bless this Territory.