Grenada on Tuesday announced a lifting of some restrictions under its Quarantine COVID Regulations that will ease requirements for travellers to that eastern Caribbean country.

Effective April 4, 2022, both vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers arriving in Grenada will not need to take any COVID-19 test prior to or upon arrival, fill out a health declaration form prior to or on arrival; and quarantine on arrival.

The new protocols determined by the Ministry of Health were outlined in a letter dated March 22, 2022 from the Ministry of Tourism to Grenada Airlift Committee Chairman Richard Strachan.

On March 15, the Grenada Government had said it intends to remove all remaining measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 next month, even as it urged citizens to continue to practise the health regulations to reduce new infections and deaths.

Last Thursday, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, effective Friday, March 18, 2022.

Around the region the Guyana Government on March 15, announced the removal of most of the regulations that had been put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 with Attorney General Anil Nandlall saying that it signals that the country is returning to a semblance of normalcy.

Guyana recorded 1,225 deaths and 63,147 infections linked to the virus since the first case was reported in March 2020.

In the meantime, the Trinidad and Tobago Government announced the relaxation of several measures put in place to curb the spread of the virus that has killed 3,642 people and infected 129,000 in the twin-island republic since March 2020.

In Antigua and Barbuda, the health ministry has indicated that the wearing of masks will soon become optional while churches and places of entertainment will be allowed to open. Antigua has one of the highest vaccination rates in the Caribbean at more than 60 per cent.

The US Virgin Islands IS also making it easier to visit, becoming the latest destination to ease COVID-19 travel and testing restrictions.

The new rules, which went into effect this week, dropped pre-arrival testing for vaccinated domestic travellers. Previously, all travellers were required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of their arrival, regardless of their vaccination status.

Curaçao has also eliminated all pre-departure testing although travellers must still complete a digital immigration card online and fill out a Passenger Locator Card before their departure.

Further afield, the Government of the United Kingdom on Wednesday announced that, effective Friday March 18, all remaining COVID-19 travel measures will be removed and tests for all arriving passengers, including people who are not vaccinated, will be scrapped.