The Government of Grenada is expressing concern about the growing disregard for the COVID-19 regulations and protocols.
Several videos of mass gatherings have surfaced in recent days which have helped to spark concern for the nonchalant attitude that many seem to have adopted. Additionally, more and more people are now seen in public without masks and some are failing to observe the physical distancing protocol.
There have been various amendments to the COVID-19 Regulations including the lifting of the curfew and granting 24-hour access to beaches. However, gatherings of more than 20 people are prohibited, or in the case of funerals and weddings, the maximum number is 50. The regulations also require every person to wear a mask or suitable covering over the nose and mouth while in public, and to distance themselves at least six feet from any other person.
Government is therefore calling on nationals to demonstrate greater responsibility for their own health and safety and that of their fellow citizens.
Highlighting Government’s concern, Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell, said “If people are genuinely concerned about their well-being, they will follow the protocols. We should not have to be told repeatedly that it is in our best interest to wear a mask, to maintain physical distance or to refrain from mass gatherings. There is only so much that the Government or the police can do, beyond that, this fight requires an attitudinal change.”
Dr. Mitchell also noted that Grenadians should not be lulled into complacency with the lifting of the curfew. He said, “The COVID-19 Regulations remain in place and we must continue to be guided by these as long as the global pandemic continues and a vaccine is not yet developed. The lifting of the curfew grants freedom of movement but we must still be responsible as a people. We must continue to adhere to the established protocols, particularly as the country prepares to reopen its borders.”
The Prime Minister urged young people in particular, not to feel invincible. He said, “Although some infected persons remain asymptomatic, COVID-19 affects both the young and the old. Here in Grenada, we have been relatively successful in the fight against the disease, and while we may be inclined to bask in the glory of what that
success means, the fact is, we are still in the midst of a global pandemic and we cannot become complacent. I hear the cry of the people – Grenada has no active COVID-19 cases, so relax the protocols. To that I say, the recommended guidelines provide the only way to limit the spread of COVID-19, therefore, as long as the disease remains a global threat, we must continue to safeguard ourselves, our families and our friends. If ever the saying, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, was applicable, it is now. Let us play our respective roles in preventing the spread of COVID-19.”
