Bryan ordered Virgin Islands residents to stay home and nonessential businesses to halt in-person operations

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said on March 23, 2020, that he had issued an executive order over the weekend requiring nonessential businesses in the U.S. Virgin Islands to close and adding restrictions on leisure travel to the territory.

The order closed all bars effective March 23, 2020, restricted dine-in service at restaurants, and limited taxis and safaris to half of their previously allowed capacity.

It also barred hotels, guest houses, villas, bed and breakfasts, Airbnb properties and charter vessels from accepting new bookings or new guests for 30 days.

After March 25, 2020, the order allowed certain businesses to remain open if they complied with existing mass-gathering limits and maintained at least 6 feet of distance between individuals. Those businesses included food and produce sellers, medical providers, core life services such as gas stations, banks, laundromats and shipping companies, shelter providers, and media outlets.

The order also suspended portions of Virgin Islands law related to landlord-tenant actions, recovery of possession of real property and demands for rent, as well as provisions that bar some retired government workers in certain professions from receiving annuities if they return to the workforce.

Previous restrictions remained in effect. Nonessential government employees had been directed to stay home or telework, schools and Head Start facilities had been closed, senior centers had been closed, and visitation to eldercare facilities had been restricted.

Government operations were limited to essential services until April 6, 2020, and schools were to remain closed through at least April 14, 2020.

Bryan said on March 23, 2020, that 74 people had been investigated for possible infection, with 55 negative tests, 17 positive tests and two pending results. He said 16 of the 17 people who tested positive were quarantined at home and that the territory's first positive case had recovered and tested negative.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-orders-residents-to-stay-at-home-non-essential-businesses-to-end-in-person-operations/