How each US territory is planning to reopen their economy
PUERTO RICO
As of May 26, 2020, the Puerto Rican Governor’s Executive Order has increased the list of retail businesses and commerce. The business employers must follow stringent preventative measures which include wearing face masks by everyone that is employed, visiting, and or shopping in the business.
The Governor’s Executive Order is subject to limitations like a retail business, shopping centers, car dealerships, travel agencies, and armory shops not to exceed 50% of maximum capacity. Retail businesses and commerce reopened operations and the doors to the public on the same day of Executive Order. Other limitations included restaurants not to exceed 25% of maximum capacity and opening shopping centers to the public on June 8, 2020.
As of June 16, the Governor began to lift restrictions for the next three months. The Puerto Rican government wanted to open tourism on July 15, 2020. But because COVID-19 infections continue to increase, the date has been delayed until August 15, 2020.
GUAM
Guam’s Governor and the Chamber of Commerce are reopening Guam in planned phases and will include preventative protocols during pandemic. Phase one started on the week of May 4, is when all private businesses and government offices reopened. Phase two began on the week of May 25, and allowed all parks, restaurants, and other places of social gatherings to reopen.
Phase three started on the week of June 22, which allowed all public and private businesses to reopen. And all restaurants and bars reopened with a larger gathering following strict CDC guidelines.
And on the last Phase which was going to be on July 1, 2020, which would include establishing partnerships with regional partners and jumpstarting travel and tourism in the Pacific region was delayed until further notice, due to the increase of COVID-19 infections.
US VIRGIN ISLANDS
US Virgin Islands Governor is planning to open the government because most of the USVI reopening plan phases have been met. US Virgin Islands (USVI) officially is entering the “Open Doors” Phase to restart government. The first phase was the Total Quarantine phase. The second was the Stay at Home phase. The third phase was Safer at Home phase.
And the fourth phase is the Open Doors phase that started on the week of June 1, 2020, which is the phase that the USVI government is in now. The Open Doors phase will allow all leisure travel without restrictions,reopening restaurants, bars, hotels, taxis,and safaris.
The last phase is the New Normal phase, which has not happened yet. Due to an increase of COVID-19 infections there will be a delay on school openings until September 8, 2020.
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
The Northern Mariana Islands Governor and his Task Force reopened the tourism industry on July 15. On May 13, the Task Force implemented the Community-Focused Economic Recovery Plan to mobilize COVID-19 testing and to restart the tourism industry.
The first COVID-19 color rating was Red, which included limited government services, curfew, and full commercial restrictions. The second COVID-19 color was Orange, which included business hours from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm, and commercial fishing reopens. The third COVID-19 color was Yellow, which included partial restaurant reopening, a curfew, and business hours from 5:00am to 10:00 pm.
The last COVID-19 color rating is Green, which allows reopening partial Bars, reopening community gatherings, and business hours from 4:00 am to 11:00 pm. As of July 23, 2020, this Thursday, 38 diagnosed with the coronavirus with 2 deaths total.
AMERICAN SAMOA
The American Samoa Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Corona Task Force are prepared to take necessary measures to protect the health, safety and financial welfare of the residents of American Samoa. The Governor has declared a public health emergency and state emergency on May 1, 2020.
The Governor and the Coronavirus Task Force issued color-coded system guidelines to reopen the government. The code Red guidelines was issued in the event of severe spread of COVID-19. The code Yellow guideline was issued if there is one confirmed case of the COVID-19 in the territory. The last code, code Blue was issued if minimum social disruption and social distancing, sanitary measures, and coughing etiquette are implemented.
The guidelines were put in place for a month until it expired on June 1, 2020. From March 13, 2020 to July 23, 2020, America Samoa continues to have a coronavirus free status. As of July 23, 2020, the threat level is code Blue.
