by Linda Straker
- On Wednesday, 30 June 2021 Grenada will join UK Green list
- Outbound travellers will undergo little or no Covid-19 restriction on arrival in UK
- Prime Minister assured Grenada will continue to maintain Covid-19 protocols
As of 4 am United Kingdom time on Wednesday, 30 June 2021 Grenada will join the list of countries that have met the necessary criteria to be classified as belonging to the “green list.” As a result, travellers from the island will undergo little or no Covid-19 restriction on arrival.
People travelling from countries on the green list do not have to undergo mandatory quarantine, but must show proof of a negative PCR test 3 days before arriving in the UK. Within 48 hours of arrival, that person will have to undergo another PCR test and once negative he/she will be allowed to mingle with society. If positive, then there will be mandatory quarantine until he/she is medically cleared.
Other Caribbean destinations on the green list include Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica and several UK Overseas Territories. The previous list did not include Caricom member destinations. The UK is a significant tourism market share for destinations in Caricom.
Kisha Alexander-Grant Grenada’s High Commissioner in the UK said that the inclusion of Grenada to the reclassified green list involved extensive lobbying and diplomacy from the various Caricom High Commissioners in the UK through the various Foreign Affairs ministries. Grenada’s Foreign Affairs Minister is Oliver Joseph.
“It’s been a labour of love and diplomacy to get on the UK’s Traffic Light System. There has been diplomacy at every level, including Prime Minister Mitchell writing to his British counterpart and advocating for Grenada’s inclusion,” she said. “There was significant regional collaboration in this effort with sparing no effort in the drive to impress upon UK officials the overall good management of Covid-19 in most Caribbean countries,” she added.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell who wrote to the British Prime Minister when Grenada was not included on the previous green list, is pleased with the new announcement.
“The updated UK travel list helps to validate our concerted efforts and the tremendous sacrifices made, in managing the Covid-19 pandemic here in Grenada. It also substantiates collaborative efforts made at the regional level to advocate for inclusion,” he said. “The new list provides some measure of hope that Grenada will be able to attract some visitors when the UK opens its borders next month. There is obviously no guarantee that travellers will come, but with a general pent-up desire for travel, and only a limited number of countries included on the green list, there is considerable potential for Grenada to see some British arrivals, come July.” The Prime Minister assured that Government will continue to maintain the Covid-19 protocols to keep both residents and visitors safe.
Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Honourable Clarice Modeste-Curwen is also extremely delighted with the updated list. “Team Grenada has worked strategically and consistently throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and we have managed to keep Grenada safe for a very long time. The hard work of the Ministry of Health and by extension, the entire Government, has certainly paid off…I certainly look forward to a revival of the tourism industry,” she said.
Since 24 April 2021 Grenada has recorded zero Covid-19 active cases and the island’s healthcare system is capable of testing for Covid-19 and its different variants. All incoming passengers must receive a pre-approved certificate of entry and show a negative PCR test upon arrival. Those who can show proof of being fully vaccinated will be quarantined for 48 hours during which time another on-island PCR test will be conducted. A negative result will allow the incoming passenger to mingle, but a negative result will see mandatory quarantine at a Government approved facility until medical clearance.
No one is going to come and spend all this money on Grenada PCR test. They have the most expensive in the world.
Yeah let’s import some fresh new covid cases
The British are coming, the British are coming,!
Sorry I mean the Deltas are coming, the Deltas are coming.! Hahaha.
Relax Mike, I thought you are double jabbed and believe in the almighty mRNA Spike Protein Trump juice.
Here is another shocker for you, …British Columbia University produced a Research Study some years ago that showed Viruses can actually travel on the Trade winds, no passengers and no jet planes. Isnt that nice!
So you can’t hide and Lockdown forever, at some point you have to man-up and get on with actually living the limited life we all have.
America has Delta and Delta + and they are already allowed to travel to Grenada.
Yep, Delta is probably in Grenada already.
SarsCov2 is now Endemic. So just after Halloween come late Autumn and ealry Winter, the Respiratory disease season starts like clockwork.
By then not only will there be old Delta but in addition to the usual Influenza and Pneumonia probably new mutations of SarsCov2, Epsilon, Zeta, Theta and all.