A spike in COVID-19 cases in neighbouring islands has prompted the government to hold back on plans to ease the existing 10:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew, and the measure will remain in place for at least the next two weeks.

The decision was based on increasing active COVID-19 cases in St

Vincent, where there are now more than 600; Barbados, which has about 800; and

St Lucia, which is dealing with approximately 400.

“Our health system, its strength and its weaknesses are no

different from theirs and, as such, we need to recognise that right now the

threat of COVID-19 to Grenada has never been greater from outside of Grenada,”

said Health Minister Nickolas Steele, adding that while the country’s health

system and border control have been strengthened, they are not fool proof.

Steele said while there are no active community or cluster cases

in Grenada, the government had to be cautious.

“We have to look at everything else that is going on. While we want to find a balance between lives and livelihoods, we, at this point in time, based on what we see happening throughout the region, based on the changes we have seen with this virus and most recent changes with this virus, we prefer to err on the side of caution,” the Health Minister said.

–CMC