The Ministry of Health continues to adjust the criteria for home quarantine and the recent case of a medical doctor and his wife violating the protocols has the Ministry “re-evaluating again.”
Minister of Health and Social Security Hon Nickolas Steele, in response to questions from reporters at Wednesday’s post Cabinet press briefing, said adjustments were made prior to the incident with the doctor who ignored protocols and visited four restaurants before receiving the positive results of the test taken on the fourth day of his quarantine.
Early last week the Ministry had made a determination that home quarantine will be granted under new criteria, according to the Minister.
“If the person travelling in or persons in the travel party are either over 65, travelling with young kids or minors in their party; are diplomats or government officials; have a disability or health condition would be the circumstances for granting or allowing passing of pre-screening of quarantine, or any other circumstances,” he said.
The any other circumstances clause was left in case there were conditions Ministry officials did not consider.
As for the quarantine facilities and the number of persons these places can accommodate, the Minister indicated that it is “quite likely” a number of the facilities will be removed from the Pure Safe Travel Accommodation list following a meeting scheduled for today with representatives of the approved accommodations.
This is due to the fact that the Ministry continues to “tighten the mechanisms” for approval.
“We have to find the balance between life and livelihood. In some instances where we think it has tipped too much to livelihoods at the expense of life we have to come back closer to the centre and, as such, I do believe some sites will no longer be able to offer quarantine.”
As of Wednesday, the Grenada Tourism Authority website listed 58 approved accommodations. That increased to 72 on Thursday.
