by Linda Straker
- Repatriation flight scheduled to arrive on 19 June
- Maurice Bishop International Airport reopens on 1 July
- As of 1 July 2020, quarantine stay in a government facility will be shorter
Grenada is using US inbound repatriation flight scheduled to arrive on 19 June as a simulation exercise as it prepares to reopen the Maurice Bishop International Airport on 1 July 2020.
The airport was closed to commercial passenger traffic in March as part of measures aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19. The island recorded 23 positive cases since 22 March, with no deaths. All of the persons have been declared recovered. The last positive case was announced on 24 May 2020. The youngest person was an 8-year-old, while the eldest was 84.
Tourism Minister, Dr Clarice Modeste, said that 88 nationals who are stuck in the USA are scheduled to arrive on the repatriation flight, and rigid measures are being put in place as part of the health screening for Covid-19.
“Hopefully on Friday, we will see our first flight bringing in Grenadians repatriated from the USA, and from then on we will see what the airlines are offering. They have to be tested as part of the screening and there will be a more rigorous questionnaire to complete upon arrival,” she disclosed.
The new health protocol provides for health screening before approval from immigration and customs officers. At the arrival health screening area, all passengers will get a temperature check and allow the health officers to conduct a rapid Covid-19 test and a PCR test. The result of the rapid test will determine the passenger’s next step. A negative result will see the passenger heading to immigration and customs for clearance while a positive result will result in the person going into mandatory health quarantine.
The repatriated nationals will be placed in 14-days quarantine as a shared cost between state and passengers. However, as of 1 July, the protocol for passengers will change and will see arriving passengers spend a shorter period in quarantine once there is a negative result of the PCR test.
Modeste said that all persons on the 19 June flight will either have a wrist device that monitors personal movement or down a mobile app. “That will make it easier for us in the event that contact tracing becomes necessary,” she explained.
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter David said that once the airport is reopened, all persons entering Grenada will be tested at least 3 times before being allowed to intermix with the general public. “They are testing before they come and when they arrive, they are tested again, to reassure ourselves that persons do not come in with the virus. We do not want community spread,” he said.
During the peak of the lockdown, Grenada did not record community spread, but recorded a cluster of cases in one particular work environment. Government ordered the workplace closed and it was given permission to reopen once all staff were tested.
As of 1 July 2020, once a person is allowed to enter the country, the quarantine stay in a government facility will be shorter with the remaining days in self-quarantine with restricted movement. David said once the PCR result is negative, individuals will be able to go to their place of residence, but will only be permitted to leave home for specific reasons. “So, the stay at the government facility will be for about 2 to 4 days, and once the PCR test is negative, the remain mandatory 14 days will be at home but with strict guidelines,” he assured.
With the tracing mobile app on phones or the tracing wrist devices activated, the person will only be allowed to leave home to seek urgently needed medical attention. An individual under restricted movement is not permitted to visit church, attend funerals, be present at any social function, engage in any group sporting activity or to be part of any social interactions outside of limited contact with household members.
Modeste who is a registered medical doctor by profession said that all the protocols and guidelines for arriving passengers are in the interest of the nation. “It’s in the interest of public health and we are guided by the science and we are going to relax the protocol guided again by the science,” she said.
I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume your remarks were meant with the best of intentions. With that in mind I have to say that although at times the measures taken by the Grenadian Govt may have seemed strict it was done with the welfare of the majority in mind and only time and hindsight will tell. As for the measures that are currently being taken for the reopening of the island… well it would be foolhardy after going through the last couple of months to just through caution to the wind. A measured and regulated approach is necessary. As was stated before we are not in a position financially as an island to play footloose and fancy free. We do not have Billions much less Trillions with which to fight this Virus
Fiestly let me apologize for any persons who may have treated you with racial prejudice. On the whole we are not that type of people. I am sure where ever it is you are from there is no such behavior otherwise you would not be reacting the way way you are. It’s unfortunate that you would seek to condemn a whole island for something a minority may have done to you and says alot about you. personally.
You seem very bitter Melinda, obviously you have had a bad experience with someone in Grenada, but your negative attitude towards the country is not called for. Even if you don’t come back to Grenada we wish you well on your.future travel experience. I hope you find a country that meets your expectations. But Grenada will continue to its business as it seems fit for the betterment of its people.
Love this response Grenada is not the only place implementing those measures to try to contain the virus. Have had to cancel trips that were already booked and it was heart rending to know that visiting my birthplace has been impacted to such an extent. But those measures are necessary until an effective treatment is developed.
I cannot see the airlines resuming full service while these measures are in place.
Until this changes, once or twice a week service from AA looks likely.
No one will travel unless they must.
Karma will come back to haunt who ever is wishing Grenada to collapse. Never wish for evil towards others.
Bad minded people.
Who ever you are Melinda my country will rise again , we will never sink so shame on you and your negative impact about Grenada.guess wot Melinda Grenada don’t need people like you.
I feel this article may be poorly written. It reads as though any tourist arrivals will be quarantined- did they mean to say any tourist arrivals with the bug will be quarantined?
Agreed. If one test negative upon arrival why quarantine?
As a non-Grenadian, I was treated extremely poorly by the locals in March. Hostility and an attitude of “get out of our country, we don’t want to take care of you if you get sick”
I heard a lot of “oh look how your country is handling this”
I’m going back to pick up my things, but after that I will never return and I will never spend a dime in Grenada.
I hope it all collapses.
I don’t know where you’re from but you must understand that Grenada is trying to protect you and it’s people f Oi r you to wish for this small island to collapse I must say shame on you!
I do not know where you come from ..but I am thinking you come from Trump land and your brain is like his.. Grenada will survive without people like coming on holiday..Next time you are going to write your nonsense please understand Covid 19 is very contagious disease and we don’t have the infrastructure cope with it..people are scared.
Really that is so selfish of you thinking such negative about Grenada ,even if you had a bad experience So what that’s life .
Your comment tells me how your mind is in the gutter! tell me on which country on the face of the earth where every single person in a society is 100% to your liking? I can tell you this some of the best folks anywhere lives on this island and we do not need the likes of you to survive! Best wishes to you wherever you hail from. I can tell from reading your comment you are from another caribbean island.
Oh please with your mean comment! First of all, This country should big up in Agriculture, than tourism! Tourism should be secondary! Places without tourism are free of stress, greed and a lot of pollution! Money is not all to life! Once you have God and good organic foods , you don’t miss the others!
This nonsense ensures there will not be any tourists arriving on the island for the forseeable future. Good luck Grenada, with no tourists, the industry will surely collapse, and the economy will sink further in debt.