Grenada bans travellers from India, Brazil

ST. GEORGE’S, (CMC):

Grenada Tuesday announced a ban on persons entering the island with a travel history that includes visits to India and Brazil in the past 14 days as it seeks to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“This means that no one with a 14-day travel history from India or Brazil will be allowed to enter Grenada. Persons will have to spend the relevant time in a third-party state that will allow them to enter,” Health Minister Nickolas Steele told reporters at the end of the weekly Cabinet meeting.

He said that Cabinet had agreed to restrict travellers from these two countries on the advice of the COVID committee and chief medical officer.

Both countries have reported significant number of infections and deaths as a result of the virus, with India recording more than 20 million cases.

Grenada at present has one active imported asymptomatic case and since the first person was diagnosed in March 2020 the total number of infected cases here is 161 with one death.

The island’s vaccination programme, which began on February 12, is ongoing and the authorities have reported that more than 13,000 people have received the first dose while more than 3,000 are fully vaccinated using the AstraZeneca vaccine.

But the health officials have openly expressed concern about the slow pace of vaccination which is provided for every citizen above the age of 18.

Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Shawn Charles said that a significant number of healthcare workers are hesitant to get vaccinated while several front-line workers in the tourism/hospitality sector are even refusing to be tested even though they have been classified as “potentially exposed”.

“These individuals are defiant and are resisting testing,” Charles said during the briefing. He explained these workers are mainly those in the housekeeping department of hotels and other accommodations that are used to quarantine persons upon arrival to the island.