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.
It is against “human rights” to force anyone to take a vaccine that cannot save them! With on 161 cases really? How many visitors in the country compared to the cases ? Let us simply mark-up the cost of all the items in the store to stimulate the economy and beg your foreign families to send down their dollars to help us out… but we don’t want them here! Really good luck incentivizing the poor.
A simple negative covid test is all that’s required.
I did N-A-Z-I that coming. Follow the Science, to say nothing of the Hippocratic oath. These vaccines may or may not be safe.
There is no data being taken on any adverse reactions. There is no liability on the Pharma’s.
It will continue to be a personal choice. Anyone with an IQ higher than a cabbage should never choose if coercion or bribes are used.
I am planning to travel to Grenada later this year. Fully vaccinated of course! It feels so safe knowing that all other visitors are vaccinated. Grenada handles the situation excellent!
Way to go Grenada!!
We are still looking forward to our visit in September. We are happy to respect your country’s wishes, as we are guests to your country!
Grenada is covid free because its is a speck in the ocean fool, with wind blowing over it at immeasurable qty… you can’t catch anything unless you’re in a super confined space.. welp bye bye yall aint seeing me out that way
I do not understand the hate which is pouring out of some of the comments. We and our government must do something right or we would not be under the top ten countries in the world with the least Covid cases and death. And to this Jacob guy, than go somewhere else. Perhaps we don’t want you here anyway.
This will be very bad for the economy. What about families with children who aren’t eligible for vaccination? There absolutely needs to be a provision for the kids. Many people have second homes and yachts that they won’t be able to access and dump thousands into the economy, all because little Johnny isn’t old enough to get the same vaccine his parents got. It’s pure discrimination against families. Not a good look at all. It’s also bad for the many hotels, marinas, and air bnb properties. Prepare for mass cancellations as people start to fear what the policy could look like. I totally support testing and quarantine, but vax requirement just isn’t practical for kids or people in countries where the vaccine isn’t available to everybody yet.
Cannot sustain, tourism too valuable
Have been coming to Grenada every year as a tourist for many years – spending significant money in hotels and restaurants – looks like 2020 was the very last time. Had already booked flights and accommodation for 2021 that I will now have to cancel.
Grenada relies on its tourism. Quarantine works so better to have left the 7 day or even a 10 day quarantine in place, which was a form of deterrent anyway, but did enable everyone to still visit the beauty that’s Grenada if they really wanted to.
Also disadvantages those who can’t get vaccinated for medical reasons etc. Inherently unfair to them.
Interestingly there is lots of data coming forward about vaccinated still spreading and getting COVID, not least as being vaccinated can make you feel over confident. So it may not stop COVID spreading to Grenada but it will certainly throttle back on tourism to it.
Exactly my sentiment! In 2020 was my last trip to Grenada after traveling to the country every year. Some vaccinated folks will still come but all of the unvaccinated will not be travelling to Grenada with those protocols in place. The politicians/businessmen are more concerned about the bottom line, so I am unsure how long those ‘stiff protocols’ will be in place, especially when other countries are opening up to the unvaccinated. So continue to keep the unvaccinated out – then the government of the day will be soon crying out that they will be unable to provide grants, give increases on salaries etc. I wonder who will be suffering?