by Linda Straker
- On Tuesday night, voice note circulated via Whatsapp re NEWLO closure
- Management apologises for state of panic and fear created by audio message
- Institution has temporarily shut its doors to identify students who may have been at events and exposed to Grenada’s latest Covid-19 positive case
A vocational skills and training institution has temporarily shut its doors as part of measures aimed at identifying whether any of its students participated in mass gathering events in the north of the island that may have had persons who were exposed to Grenada’s latest Covid-19 positive case.
On Tuesday night, a voice note circulated via the Whatsapp app said that the New Life Organisation (NEWLO) will be closed until further notice. However, on Wednesday morning an official of the Catholic Church under whose management the institution falls, explained that the message was misconstrued.
“Yes, the institution is closed, but it’s only for today. The closure is to check on the students because some students had a party on the weekend and other students were saying that it was the same party that the Covid case attended. But the management has since confirmed that the birthday party was in Grand Anse and not in the north of the island,” he said.
A statement issued by the institution said that the management sincerely apologises for the state of panic and fear that has been created by the audio message.
It is understood that the institution, which is located in the western parish of St John, is contacting students from the north of the island to find out the social activities or places they visited between Friday and Sunday. Any person who is believed to be exposed to Covid-19 directly or indirectly will be referred to the health authorities.
