by Linda Straker
- Effective Saturday, 21 March at 23:59 pm, the USA is added to travel advisory
- The USA, especially New York where thousands of Grenadians reside, has continuously reported increasing cases
As of 21 March 2020, Grenada’s ports of entry will not accept passengers from the United States of America who are not Grenadian nationals or residents, as part of measures to combat Covid-19.
This was announced in a travel advisory published on the Ministry of Health Facebook page on 19 March 2020. As of 18 March, there are no positive Covid-19 cases in Grenada: 18 tests were conducted at the lab of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
“Effective Saturday, 21 March at 23:59 pm the USA is added to this advisory as per all the stipulations outlined,” said the release which also said that, “Effective Friday, 20 March at 23:59 pm if you are not a Grenadian national, and in the last 14 days you have been to Iran, South Korea, China or anywhere in Europe including the UK, you will be refused entry into the country.
Grenadian nationals and non-nationals alike arriving from any other destinations outside of the list will be screened upon entry and self-quarantined for 14 days. “If you are a Grenadian national or resident you will be self-quarantined for a period of 14 days upon arrival into Grenada,” the advisory said.
Before disembarking, every passenger will be required to complete a declaration form of his/her health status and will be required to check in daily with the Ministry of Health. Any person who becomes symptomatic will be quarantined or isolated.
Covid-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019, but as of March 2020, Europe has become the epicentre of the respiratory-related infection which has infected thousands and caused the death of thousands.
The USA, especially New York where thousands of Grenadians reside, has continuously reported increasing cases. The Covid-19 death toll in New York City has hit 22, with 3,615 positive cases of coronavirus in New York City, more than half of the state’s total. The hardest-hit boroughs are Brooklyn, with 1,030 cases; Queens with 980 cases, and Manhattan with 976 patients. Rounding out the cases are 436 in the Bronx and 165 on Staten Island. On Thursday morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that more than half of the total positive cases are in New York City.
I’m in full agreement with Grenada knowing that the US President has missed the ball again; he constantly dismiss science as FAKE and always been proven wrong.
What a dotard!
That is the best for my Country Grenada. Let’s just pray that it won’t be a long cut off.
Thank you Grenada!!!! I am from Grenada but live here in USA for many years. It is very bad here. Everything is being shut down. So happy it can’t get to my home!! We have it the worst in USA.
Some people have their nerves..where the hell he comes from very selfish..
As a Grenadian living here in New York, I will like to applaud the government of Grenada on the decision they made on the ban, I were supposed to come home for Easter but the safety of my country is first so dont have a choice because honestly Grenadians dont need that virus . Congrats once more and stay safe everyone in Grenada. Love you guys
Say wha Prevention better than cure Agrre with you 100 per cent Lster down in the year plse God
Great story, do what you have to do to keep Grenadians safe from the very contagious virus. I wanted to travel to Grenada next month from the US, but now it will be later.
I am so happy that Grenada is acting on this ASAP, not like Trump and his cohorts who knew of this by his intelligence Officers and took no heed and this is what has become of the USA!! I am proud of Grenada Thanks for taking care of our people.
So, let me get this straight. Basically all countries will be banned because as testing becomes more prevalent more positive cases will be confirmed all over the world, essentially cutting off ALL foreign visitors indefinitely. Your economy depends mostly on tourism so how long is the country willing to choke off the majority of its income? 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months? Until an approved vaccine is open to the general public? How sustainable is this and are the long term ramifications likely to more damaging overall to your country? Questions…..
Are you kidding. Your putting there economy above there health. I own a home there and if they get this virus there it will wipe out there elderly population. What friggin planet are you living on. People in Grenada stay safe. Your Prime Minister is doing the right thing. Please be safe.
Wwhat economy? If they don’t have a healthy population you won’t want to visit the country any way. It’s better to close the borders to keep out the virus and protect the population than to keep the borders open, risk the health of the population then have other countries close their borders to prevent their people from coming into contact with you. This way they can resu me business faster as soon as the other countries are in the clear from this disease
You sound like the GOP!! All they are thinking of is MONEY!! Yo are u damn if you do and damn if you don’t!! What do you want? Grenada is a hundred and twenty square miles!! If the whole island gets infected is it great for tourism then? Wow!!
You are ignorant, selfish and brainless. And since you keep stating ”your country” mind your damn business and let “us” worry about our country and the HEALTH of “our” people and the state of “our” economy. It’s not always about money.
Shouldn’t all persons (asymptomatic & sympotmatic) be quarantined for the 14 days period).
Does anyone know how long the ban will last?
Why are we isolating folks who “ become asymptomatic “ that’s a typo error. According to guidelines you isolate people who are symptomatic