by Linda Straker
- CDC advised US citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Grenada
- Under Grenada’s health protocol and classification, the US falls in the High risk or Red Zone destination
- With a population of 110,000 Grenada at present has no active Covid-19 cases
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has listed Grenada as a high risk country for Covid-19 exposure and transmission, and has advised US citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the island.
As a level 3 destination, the national public health institute in the United States whose ranking is based on 100,000 population ratio, has informed US citizens that the risk in Grenada is high especially for those who have other severe illness such as cancer, diabetes, sickle cell and heart conditions.
Grenada with a population of 110,000 at present has no active Covid-19 cases because all 24 cases have been declared medically recovered.
“CDC recommends travellers avoid all nonessential international travel to Grenada. Travellers at increased risk for severe illness from Covid-19 should consider postponing all travel, including essential travel, to Grenada,” said the advisory which was uploaded to the CDC website on 6 August 2020 via the link https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/warning/coronavirus-grenada
“If you get sick in Grenada and need medical care, resources may be limited,” said the advisory which recommends that US citizens check with the Office of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Health of Grenada or the US Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Country Information page for details about entry requirements and restrictions for arriving travellers, such as mandatory testing or quarantine.
Explaining that some examples of essential travel may include travelling for humanitarian aid work, medical reasons, or family emergencies, the advisory said that older adults, people of any age with certain underlying medical conditions, and others at increased risk for severe illness should consider postponing all travel, including essential travel, to Grenada.
Mostly all other Caricom members and territories in the Americas with the exception Dominica are listed at risk countries for the disease which has infected millions in the US and caused the death of more 150,000.
Under Grenada’s health protocol and classification, the US falls in the High risk or Red Zone destination and all persons arriving from the US must undergo both rapid and PCR Covid-19 test and to 14 days mandatory quarantine.
Health officials are yet to publicly comment on the CDC ranking.
Grenada stay safe. And well done for keeping covid under control! USA and European countries should follow suit. Dont let them bring covid and other diseases to Grenada! Dont allow them in until they can control covid in their own countries. Grnadian’s lives before money every time!!! Well done Grenadians, dont let them manipulate you with the economy!
I live in the United States and love the country of Grenada. I have been trying to get to the spice island for a few months now in hopes of getting on my cruise on the amazing Mandalay ship. I completely understand the Government of Grenada’s caution in allowing outsiders to enter the island, but at some point, that caution must be relaxed in order for Grenada to get on with its economic survival…tourism. I agree with one of the earlier posts in that the CDC is warning American’s to avoid many of the islands in the Caribbean, including Grenada, not because of the danger of contracting COVID, but because of the danger of being able to be effectively treated if you were to contract COVID in an overwhelming pandemic situation, given the health care facilities and capabilities on many of the islands. Americans LOVE Grenada and want to visit the majestic spice islands as soon as possible. I only hope the Government of Grenada starts to think about the devastating economic impact on it citizens a bit more (as I’m sue they are) as it continues to move down the road to reopening the country. Americans want to come to Grenada!
AJ
My fellow Grenadians, please bashing your country. With all the modern medical facilities and personnel in the US. How many Covid deaths registered at New York area Hospitals. How many recorded at Grenada’s General Hospital. CDC needs to get their acts together. This is not only about Grenada, I think it’s the entire Caribbean.
CDC has taken a blanket aggressive attack on the Caribbean because Americans have to face restrictions globally, even from these small Islands. How dare we! I do hope that our leaders will not allow themselves to be bullied. Yes there are some Islands whose health care systems need great upgrade, and they should see this as an advisory and pay attention. BUT the US has brought this on themselves with their poor management (or lack of ) and as always, want to blame the world and will bully their way through, as always.
Dear Government & citizens of Grenada
We love to play the blame game and not accept responsibility, how about accountability, well done there are no cases of corvid …yippy cah yea! your health service cannot deal with daily emergencies under normal circumstances let alone a pandemic, why would any country encourage their citizens to go into a place that cannot cope with basic health care….period !!!. I hope Grenada never gets corvid because lord helps us , Instead of promoting corvid free cases ..how about you improve your health service with new equipment , and helping small businesses and not with the loans or moratoriums with ongoing interest, getting person further in debt with a future that’s uncertain make persons accountable for their actions, educate , educate , educate and finally accountability. hold persons accountable for their actions. , we are there because we have a shit health service ….period , can you imagine the USA is warning persons against countries because they don’t want their people to die or be stranded , a country where they have hundreds dying every day ……think about
So why would the government allow Americans to enter the country knowing the repercussions of it, the better dint make that mistake like italy
Hmmm. Any country that has restrictions on US citizens or visitors to their land must be prepared to face publications like in this case. The US administration feels entitled to have the world at their beck and call. The fact that we in Greens have done a much better job than they have in controlling the spread leaves a bitter taste in their mouths. However, I’m not angry that such a statement from the CDC has been released because it makes me feel much safer if people from there will take heed and stay put. Then that is one
problem that we won’t have to worry about. Sorry Grenadian nationals in the US, it’s not that we don’t love you and not dying to see you but we just can’t take the drama that’s going on in the US right now. We just want to be safe.
This is tit for that. Grenadians are at risk from US. They know it.
I could understand CDC referring to the vulnerability of our country in terms of populace, health care facility and the need to take extreme caution. However, im wondering if this warning has to do with the likelihood of Grenada’s capability in effectively controling an outbreak. The truth is can we really control an outbreak? Maybe CDC is trying to protect us.
Exactly this makes no sense at all..