The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Health, Caribbean Health and Tourism Association (CHTA), and Grenada Hotel & Tourism Association (GHTA) met with stakeholders to discuss Covid-19 strategies as it relates to the tourism industry.
The meeting was held on Friday, 6 March 2020 at the Cricket Stadium in Media Level Room 2 and included members of hotels, restaurants, marinas, banks and staff. Present were Chairman of the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA), Brenda Hood; Chairman of CHTA, Frank Comito; CEO of the GTA, Patricia Maher; CEO of the GHTA, Arlene Friday; Ministry of Health spokesperson, Dr George Mitchell, and other key representatives of the Ministry of Health and tourism community.
Comito shared relevant regional resources that CHTA offers on its website, http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com/covid-19/ as it relates to Covid-19. These include:
- Online resources to the latest press releases and traveller guidance information
- Access to the Caribbean Public Health Association (Carpha) Tourism Information Health System – a confidential monitoring system for hotels and allied partners
- Access to coordination and collaboration information as it relates to regional governments and institutions
- Best practice and policies to mitigate risk for hotel workers and allied partners
- Free online Covid-19 training course offered by the World Health Organisation (WHO)
Dr Mitchell shared the Ministry of Health’s objectives. These include:
- Strategic Objective #1: Education and Awareness – the government is currently targeting schools and organisations to raise public awareness
- Strategic Objective #2: Surveillance and Monitoring – the government is monitoring people travelling to Grenada from areas with active transmission to minimise public risk
- Strategic Objective #3: To Build Partnerships with Stakeholders – the government is ensuring that constituents are fully informed and information is shared amongst its members
- Strategic Objective #4: Enhancing the Health of the Immunocompromised – the government aims to optimise the health of the most vulnerable populations, which includes providing medical home visits to the elderly
- Strategic Objective #5: Enhancing Education of the Medical Staff and Physical Facilities – the government have been training staff and have ordered more ventilators, respirators, and a machine to test for Covid-19.
The Ministry of Health shared the latest global trends as it relates to the transmission rates and reminded the participants that Grenada remains on High alert. As a result, the ministry appealed to the GHTA and its constituents to remain calm and to continue to share all pertinent information to its members and staff. For added convenience, the Ministry of Health plans to launch an APP to assist with easy access to information and to expedite the government’s medical response.
The Ministry of Health and CHTA offer the following recommendations:
- Please contact the Covid-19 Helpline before going to the doctor if you suspect that you might have Covid-19. (538-4787 or 53-VIRUS)
- Hoteliers & Allied Tourism Partners are advised to register to the Tourism Information Health System if you suspect that one of your guests has Covid-19. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdr7X1niAYiaU1l3AyQvRwoLxHrPpJcijvdN9M2tV4eNw20KQ/viewform
The GHTA in partnership with the Ministry of Health will continue to keep its stakeholders informed as we manage this public health challenge and plan to host future workshops to hotels and allied partners regarding Covid-19. For additional information, please contact the GHTA office at 473-444-1353.
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