by Linda Straker
- Seabourn cruises, homebased in Barbados, is expected later this month
- Only fully vaccinated visitors will be permitted to enter country
- Terms and conditions for Grenadians will be different
Tourism Minister Dr Clarice Modeste has announced that Grenada will be moving to allow only fully vaccinated visitors to the country via both the airport and the seaport, but that rule will not apply to returning nationals.
“We have intensified our discussions with the Ministry of Health. Leading, being involved in tourism and having seen the suffering of the tour operators, of the vendors, of everybody else, my first impulse is to take what you get. But this is not ordinary times, this is Covid times and therefore, with we being led by the Ministry of Health, they are insisting that 100% of our guests must be fully vaccinated,” Modeste announced during the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) news conference last Friday.
“Health want to make sure that all of the Ts are crossed and the Is are dotted, and that Grenada’s protocol and requirements are being adhered to… the main thing is everybody has to be fully vaccinated,” she replied in response to a question about the resumption of cruise ships selecting Grenada as a stop-off destination.
Seabourn, which is homebased in Barbados, is expected later this month and will be the first cruise ship to berth in Grenada after the country entered lockdown in late March 2020.
The policy of only fully vaccinated visitors will be granted permission to enter the country will also extend to stayover passengers entering via the airport. There will be an exception for returning nationals. “We cannot put those conditions for Grenadians, the terms and conditions for Grenadians will have to be different,” Modeste said.
The current policy is that all visitors who are fully vaccinated will only be required to spend no more than 48 hours in quarantine. All incoming passengers who are fully vaccinated are mandated to do an on-island PCR Covid test and once it is negative, the individual will be allowed to mingle with the public. A positive result will see the person remaining in quarantine. Individuals with only one dose of the vaccination are required to spend up to 7 days in quarantine and must test negative before they are allowed to mingle with the public.
Health authorities are aware of people using fake documents, and documents are being examined for authenticity. Several incoming passengers have been charged for presenting falsified documents to immigration and health authorities.
Wow so every student returning for studies , or people wanting to visit family must be vaccinated , well good luck with your countries economy for the future !
It s a Bad décision. We know now that no vaccin could avoid thé propagation of thé virus, just limiting thé symptoms. Now this décision will allow thé virus to enter in thé Island and contaminate people that were safe before.
Thé old protocol was much better to ensure that thé virus don t propagate in Grenada. Grenada doesn t have thé capacity to support a pandemy.
It s what will append.
Sad decision
I fully agree with the government because pretty soon every country is going to be doing this to get into their country.. to each his own everyone are free to not get vac and not go no where because they don’t want to be vac or go else where but as for me am going to my home country and since am vac like many other am sure they will be fine doing this they not the first doing it and won’t be the last
Had to re-read… as I’ve just returned from Grenada which depends on tourism. I spent more money during my 2-months stay than I would abroad. It is ridiculous for this change when every airport passenger has to pay for testing and arrival and again on departure. What’s the cost for this change in decisions ? I am a health professional and asks of the trend in post.negative-positive test results that’s contributed to this decision. Nonsense
This is for “seaborne” passengers only….however -I’d hope that the Rapid Testing is done on day of embankment?
Highly ridiculous. But it’s ok because there are lots of places that don’t have this requirement. I’ll take my money elsewhere. Thanks.
I feel the same way.. every where we’ve contacted to quarantine is telling us they no longer provide 7 days quarantine (for non vaccinated persons).. only 3 days (vaccinated person).. we’re just going to cancel our flight and go to another country.. I’m not stressing myself out to spend my own money..
Minister Modeste:
Why the 180 degree reversal?
It was just the other day that Gairy say no jab jab.
I see the concern but you need to change something. My 8 year old daughter and 11 year old son can’t get into the country because they are not vaccinated due to their age. We have a boat there for hurricane season, and we are paying thousands of dollars a month for our boat to be safe their. You need to let us into the country!!!
Thos is utterly ridiculous ….
Discrimination against people who do not wish to be vaccinated will cause more damage to our economy .
Also people who are vaccinated can still catch and spread Covid. I rather unvaccinated people enter that people taking this poison….
It may sound silly but time alone will tell the damaging effects of the Covid vaccines and mandating it for persons entering our country laughable…
Good luck! You’ll have no tourists as many of the gene therapy lab rats will be dead.
https://www.openvaers.com/covid-data