Returning nationals from high risk countries who plan to stay at their family home must give the Ministry of Health at least seven days’ notice prior to their arrival to ensure that home is inspected. Otherwise, Grenadians will be required to spend at least the first four days at an approved “Pure Safe” travel accommodation.
This is among several new protocols outlined by Minister of Health Hon Nickolas Steele and Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Dr Clarice Modeste-Curwen at Tuesday’s post Cabinet press briefing.
The protocols, which went into effect September 29, were put to the test on Saturday (October 03), when Jet Blue arrived with 105 passengers and again on Monday (October 5) when Air Canada arrived with 106 passengers. Minister Steele disclosed that 69 of the passengers who arrived on Saturday informed Ministry officials that they had no intention of spending any time at an approved travel accommodation.
“This is not a paper reservation. You actually have to have paid a reservation, which you will be required to follow through with,” Minister Steele said.
When asked if the Ministry has sufficient personnel to inspect homes as more Grenadians plan to return to visit families, he said with the seven-day notice, the Ministry should have enough time to inspect the home and be able to approve or deny the facility, acknowledging that not all homes will be suitable for quarantine.
“What we have had happening is individuals making a reservation at one of the approved safe travel facilities, then on arrival saying they have no ability or no intention of paying for that; and, at that point, right there at the airport want us to approve their home for homestay,” Minister Steele said, noting that this is neither safe nor practical.
Travellers arriving from the CARICOM “bubble countries” of Barbados, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are not required to take a PCR test or quarantine, while travellers from Low Risk countries must have a negative PCR test within seven days of travel, but are not required to quarantine. Visitors from all other countries considered high risk, including the United States, Canada, the United
Kingdom and several European countries, must have a negative PCR test within seven days of travel and stay for a minimum of four days at an approved accommodation for observation and quarantine.
