CHRISTIANSTED — In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, AARP in The Virgin Islands is providing information and resources to help older Virgin Islanders and those caring for them protect themselves from the virus and help prevent it from spreading to others.
The Governor of the Virgin Islands Albert Bryan Jr., has declared a State of Emergency in the Virgin Islands and implemented a Stay at Home Order to avoid the spread of the Coronavirus – COVID 19.
Governor Bryan has asked all Virgin Islanders to stay at home and only leave the home if they are essential employees. All non-essential businesses have closed and temporarily ceased operations. Governor Bryan stated that if you have to go out of your home for essentials like groceries or prescription drugs, to maintain social distancing of six feet. If you are a senior citizen, then you must be hyper-cautious on all these points.
If you have coronavirus symptoms, call your health care provider or local public health department to figure out if you could — and should — get tested. Signs of the virus are a dry cough, fever and shortness of breath. (Read more about coronavirus and how to stay safe.)
Coronavirus – COVID-19 Testing Locations:
- VI Department of Health – www.doh.vi.gov
- St. Croix Hotline: 340-712-6299. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- St. Thomas Hotline: 340-776-1519. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If one line is busy, regardless of which island you live or are calling from, call the other island’s number.
State and Local Health:
The VI Department of Health offers updates on those infected, plus tips for prevention, public resources and contact information.
- St. Croix: (340) 718-1311
- St. Thomas: (340) 774-9000
- Territory wide: Text COVID19USVI to 888777
Updates on Status of Territory on Coronavirus – COVID 19
VI Government House Press Conferences: Facebook.com/GovernmentHouseUSVI
Sign Up for Alert VI: Alert VI is an an emergency mass notification service free to residents. This service allows you to opt-in to receive notifications via phone calls, text messaging, e-mail and more based on locations you care about. You can choose to receive notifications about events that may affect your home, workplace, family’s schools and more. Register here: https://member.everbridge.net/892807736729008/login
Sign up for the Disaster Registry. If you are 60 years of age or older and living alone or disabled (regardless of age) and living alone in the Virgin Islands enter your name into the Disaster Registry. Once you do, you will be contacted to determine if you need emergency assistance during a natural or man-made disaster. To register call (340) 773-6630 in St. Croix, (340) 715-6935 in St. Thomas and (340) 776-6334 in St. John or visit www.dhs.gov.vi
Emergencies:
For emergencies call 911
Hospitals:
- Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center St. Croix: (340) 778-6311
- Roy L. Schneider Regional Medical Center St. Thomas: (340) 776-8311
- Social Security Administration:
- St. Croix: 1-866-209-04461
- St. Thomas: 1-866-876-1799
- Online in English: www.socialsecurity.gov
- Online in Spanish: www.segurosocial.gov
Medicare:
The Virgin Islands State Health Insurance Assistance Program (VI SHIP)
- St. Thomas/St. John: (340) 774-7166 ext. 4505 or 4507
- St. Croix: (340) 778-6311 ext. 3110 or 7396
VI MAP Program – Medicaid:
EDI Help Desk: 1 (855) 248-7536
Medicaid Call Center: (340) 715-6929
Special Services Support:
- St. Thomas/St. John District: (340) 774-0930
- St. Croix District: (340) 772-7100
- Food Assistance:
- If financial difficulty is a barrier to food, find your closest food bankand other food assistance programs in your area.
- For meals for seniors –Meals on Wheels Program contact:
- St. Croix : (340) 642-6289, (340) 772-7100 ext. 7900 *please call between the hours of 8 am to 10 am
- St. Thomas: (340) 774-0930 ext. 4249 or 4236
- St. John: (340) 693-8580
- Other Food Assistance:
- The VI Department of Human Services Division of Family Assistance Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, cash and energy assistance programs
- New Clients:
- Call (Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.) the Division of Family Assistance offices for information on how to apply:
- St. Croix: 340-772-7100
- St. Thomas-St. John: 340-774-2399 or 340-774-0930
Applications for the programs are also found on the DHS website: www.dhs.gov.vi.
School Lunches: The V.I. Department of Education is distributing breakfast and lunch to students attending V.I. public, private and parochial schools in its “No V.I. Child Goes Hungry” feeding initiative, beginning Thursday, March 26. Meals will be distributed at designated locations in both school districts Monday to Friday only. Parents and students should visit the distribution site closest to their homes.
St. Croix District Pick Up
Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Lunch: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Distribution Sites:
- Claude O. Markoe Elementary School
- Eulalie R. Rivera K-8 School
- John H. Woodson Junior High School
- Juanita Gardine K-8 School
- Lew Muckle Elementary School
- Pearl B. Larsen PreK-8 School
- St. Croix Educational Complex High School
St. Thomas/St. John District Pick Up
Breakfast: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Lunch: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Distribution Sites:
- Alvin McBean Ballpark
- Anna’s Retreat Community Center
- Bordeaux Basketball Court
- Contant Knolls Community Center
- Estate Bovoni Community Center
- Julius E. Sprauve School
- Michael Kirwan Terrance Community Center
- Oswald E. Harris Court Community Center
- Paul M. Pearson Garden Community Center
- Savan Basketball Court
- Smith Bay Ballpark
- Tutu Valley Basketball Court
- Ulla F. Muller Elementary School (front entrance)
- Winston Raymo Recreational Center
Grocery Stores to know about:
St. Croix
Plaza Extra East and West on St. Croix are open Mondays from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. for seniors and older adults. Shoppers age 60 and up can shop at both locations weekly on that day and time before the stores are open to the general public.
St. Thomas
Plaza Extra in St. Thomas (Tutu), have scheduled hours on Mondays from 7 am – 10 am for shoppers age 60 years and older.
Food Delivery Services:
Island Direct is a membership only service to order food for delivery and pickup from restaurants and pick up and delivery of groceries:
- St. Croix: www.stxdelivery.com
- St. Thomas: www.sttdirect.com
Unemployment Benefits:
US Virgin Islands Department of Labor – www.vidol.gov
Contact Phone Numbers
St. Thomas
Tel: (340) 776-3700
Fax: (340) 715-5743
St. Croix
Tel: (340) 773-1994
Fax: (340) 713-3415
Caregiving Assistance:
VI Department of Human Services Family Caregivers Assistance Program: (340) 773-2323 ext. 2024
AARP Family Caregiving: www.aarp.org/caregivers
Fraud:
US Attorney’s Office District of the US Virgin Islands
www.justice.gov/usao-vi/citizen-complaints
AARP Fraud Watch Network – www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork
AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 1-877-908-3360
Isolation:
AARP Community Connections – www.aarpcommunityconnections.org
Spanish Language Information and Updates:
Entre el Pueblo – www.facebook.com/entreelpueblo
Small Business:
TheU.S. Small Business Administration is offeringlow-interestfederal disaster loans for working capital to U.S. Virgin Islands small businesses suffering substantial economic injury.
Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance.
Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call (800) 877-8339.
Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The deadline to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan is Dec. 21, 2020.
For more information about available SBA resources and services, please visit: SBA.gov/coronavirus
Coronavirus Stimulus Package Payments:
Looking for information on stimulus payment checks? As soon as it becomes available, #IRS will share it on www.irs.gov/coronavirus
More on Coronavirus
AARP Member Benefits Guide
Download PDF of Benefits
Home Owners and Automobile Product for AARP VI Members
1-800-433-0881
AARP in The Virgin Islands
www.aarp.org/vi
Email: viaarp@aarp.org
or 1-866-389-5633TOPICS
Aggressive steps being taken by AARP during coronavirus outbreak to inform, protect older Americans.
To the 50-Plus Community, the spread of the coronavirus across our country has created a very stressful environment for all Americans and especially older people and those with underlying health conditions who are at heightened risk.
During these difficult days, I want to assure you that AARP is actively engaged in our nation’s response to the outbreak, and we are working hard to help our members, their families and broader community understand how to protect themselves.
Some of the steps we are taking include:
- Providing Trusted Information: On our website aarp.org we are publishing, in both English and Spanish, information and tips about how to avoid the spread of the virus. You can find coronavirus information on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, as well as in AARP’s newsletters andin publications, AARP The Magazine and The Bulletin. Daily updates can be found at aarp.org/coronavirus and aarp.org/elcoronavirus in Spanish.
- Bringing Expertise Directly to You: AARP is hosting weekly tele-townhalls with the nation’s top coronavirus experts so that you can ask questions and hear the latest on the health and lifestyle recommendations that are continually being released.
- Our first session included the head of the Medicare and Medicaid programs and a top doctor from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Call-in details for these tele-townhalls and transcripts of prior sessions can also be found at aarp.org/coronavirus.
- Fighting for You and Yours: As your advocate in the nation’s capital and every state capital, we are working to make sure that lawmakers are allocating sufficient resources to address the outbreak and address the concerns of the 50-plus. For example, we are supporting emergency aid payments to individuals and making sure it doesn’t undercut Social Security.
- We pushed hard to ensure that Medicare covers telehealth visits so beneficiaries can consult with their doctors without leaving home. Check with your healthcare provider or your insurance company to find out how to schedule a virtual visit.
- Suspending Events to Protect Public Health: To protect our members, staff and volunteers, we are following the guidance of the CDC and have temporarily suspended AARP’s in-person events, including Movies for Grownups screenings and the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. When the time is right, we look forward to rescheduling these popular programs and events.
- Supporting the Delivery of Services: We are supporting partner organizations that are addressing isolation and hunger among the most vulnerable, including a significant donation to Meals on Wheels America.
- For over 60 years, AARP has been working to promote the health and well-being of older Americans. As the situation with coronavirus continues to evolve, be assured that AARP is continually monitoring developments and will keep you informed. In the face of a public health emergency like this, you can count on us to fight for you in the corridors of power and deliver information to keep you and your family safe and healthy.
Sincerely,
Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO, AARP