ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada – Ten days after accepting the first flight from Air Canada since the country reopened the Maurice Bishop International Airport to international commercial passengers, Grenada has announced that returning nationals and tourists from Canada will no longer require mandatory quarantine.
Air Canada has a weekly Monday flight to Grenada.
“The public is hereby advised that after careful consideration and analysis of the current threat and risk of COVID-19 transmission in the Commonwealth of Canada, the Ministry of Health, Grenada has taken the decision to place Canada in its Low-Risk Travel Category/Zone,” said a news release from the Ministry of Health that was disseminated via the Government Information Service.
The decision was made as Canada has had around 14 cases per 100,000 population in the last 14 days.
Countries in the low-risk category are those that have less than 20 cases per 100,000 population, therefore, health officials felt that in keeping with our local protocols this change has become necessary.
The other classified for destination are medium risk/green zones or high risk/red zones.
“This means that returning nationals and visitors from Canada are expected to present a negative PCR test result taken no more than seven days before travel to Grenada, but are not required to be quarantined upon arrival,” said the release which explained that all passengers will be required to present a completed health declaration form, a waiver of liability agreement form and a public health locator form upon arrival.
A passenger’s travel history will also be used to determine the need for a second test and or a quarantine period. “In the event that it is thought necessary to do a PCR Test on arrival, the passenger will be quarantined in a Government approved facility until the result is available and shows negative.
The advisory for passengers is being kept under constant review.
“Travel disruption is still possible and national control measures may be brought in with little notice, therefore all concerned are encouraged to continue to check our travel guidance and advisories,” the ministry warns.
The Government is targeting September as the time in which it will allow commercial air traffic from airports in the United States.
The US is currently classified as a red zone or hot spots for COVID-19.
In the meantime, persons from the US whose final destination is Grenada is allowed to in transit via Barbados or use charter services.
Currently, COVID-19 health protocol exempts persons from the OECS and Barbados from mandatory quarantine once a negative PCR test result dated no less than seven days before the travel date is presented at the Port of entry.
Those from wider Caricom will have to spend 48 hours in quarantine once a second PCR conduct on the island is negative.
Persons from medium risk countries which includes some European Union and commonwealth states will have to presence a negative PCR upon arrival and conduct a second PCR immediately upon arrival. The quarantine period will be for ten days, but a negative result within 48 hours or within the first seven days will result in home quarantine with an agreement to allow a geo-fencing wristwatch for monitoring purposes.
High-risk countries are the USA and any other territories where there are more than 90 cases per 100,000 population.
Persons arriving from high-risk areas will be required to show a negative PCR test immediately upon arrival and spend 14 days in quarantine with the option of the last four days in-home quarantine.
CMC
