Fellow Grenadians, when I addressed you a week ago, a number of suggestions were\u00a0 made for implementation, with the promise to review and update you accordingly. That\u00a0 period having expired, I am here tonight to inform you of the additional measures we\u00a0 now need to put in place, to curb the potential for the further spread of COVID-19 in\u00a0 Grenada. At the heart of these measures is a desire to protect the population.<\/p>\n
Through rigorous contact tracing efforts since the detection of the cluster, we have\u00a0 determined that more than 800 people have been possibly exposed to the virus and\u00a0 as such, they have been tested and quarantined. A second round of testing will begin\u00a0 on Wednesday, December 23. The size of this cluster and the upward spiral recorded\u00a0 in recent days, are quite concerning, but what is even more troubling, is the likelihood\u00a0 of even more exposure of our citizens as you socialise during this festive season.<\/p>\n
The true extent of the crisis we face, may still be unknown. Health officials have\u00a0 explained that based on the estimated window of exposure, many persons are\u00a0 possibly in the incubation stages of any potential infection and therefore, we must\u00a0 await their testing on the scientifically appropriate day, to better determine the\u00a0 magnitude of the cluster.<\/p>\n
It is against this background that the Government of Grenada has taken the decision\u00a0 to impose a curfew, as announced through the Government Information Service earlier\u00a0 today, and which went into effect at 8:00 p.m. The nightly curfew will be lifted at 5:00\u00a0 a.m. daily. It will remain in effect for 14 days in the first instance, and I encourage your\u00a0 full compliance.<\/p>\n
The curfew is intended to minimise the number of social gatherings that generally take\u00a0 place during the Christmas season. We have refrained from imposing a full lockdown\u00a0 in recognition of the religious beliefs at the heart of the season. As a Christian society\u00a0 and in acknowledgment of the fact that churches have consistently adopted the\u00a0 recommended protocols, we thought it important to allow our citizens the opportunity\u00a0 to participate in religious traditions. That said, we call on all religious leaders to be very\u00a0 strict, in implementing the COVID-19 protocols at your respective churches. Our\u00a0 priority, at all times, must be protecting the safety of all citizens.<\/p>\n
A special appeal is also being made for bus drivers and conductors to ensure that\u00a0 passengers are not allowed to use public transportation without their properly worn\u00a0 masks. Do not be afraid to refuse service to passengers who refuse to comply. It is far\u00a0 less costly to lose one bus fare than to be the conduit that facilitates transmission of\u00a0 this deadly disease.<\/p>\n
Similarly, I encourage the managers of stores, supermarkets and other businesses, to\u00a0 have at least one person assigned to monitoring and managing adherence to your in store protocols. Keep a daily log of all your patrons, as this is an important tool for\u00a0 contact tracing efforts. It might also be useful to have masks available for customers\u00a0 who may arrive on your premises without one.<\/p>\n
I must commend members of the business community who took prompt action in\u00a0 recent days to temporarily halt their operations because of exposure of employees to\u00a0 the virus. This is indeed the type of collaboration we need in mounting the fight against\u00a0 this dreaded disease.<\/p>\n
Sisters and brothers, the sacrifices we make today are critical to saving lives and\u00a0 affording us the possibility of reducing the threat of COVID-19 going forward. We\u00a0 welcome news of the approval and distribution of the highly-anticipated vaccines, but\u00a0 the reality is that it will be months before Grenada and other countries in the region,\u00a0have access.<\/p>\n
Even with this glimmer of hope, the new strain of coronavirus recently detected,\u00a0 compounds the challenge we face in the fight against this disease. Therefore, to\u00a0 reduce possible importation of this virus, Government has already instituted an\u00a0 immediate ban on all air traffic between Grenada and the United Kingdom. We will\u00a0 review this decision in 2021.<\/p>\n
Several other measures are also in full effect:<\/p>\n
\u2219\u00a0Take-out or delivery service\u00a0only\u00a0<\/b>for restaurants.<\/p>\n
\u2219\u00a0Village shops, including those licenced to sell liquor, must limit to three, the\u00a0 maximum number of customers served on the premises at any given time.\u00a0\u00a0\u2219\u00a0A mask must be worn over the nose and mouth at all times, in public spaces.\u00a0\u2219\u00a0The recommended physical distance should be observed.<\/p>\n
\u2219\u00a0The number of guests at weddings and funerals is limited to ten unless\u00a0 permission is sought and obtained from the Ministry of Health.<\/p>\n
\u2219\u00a0Social gatherings at entertainment venues and beaches are expressly\u00a0 prohibited.<\/p>\n
\u2219\u00a0Families are advised to create a household bubble, limiting their Christmas Day\u00a0 activities to individual households, while opting to share virtually with other\u00a0 extended family members and friends.<\/p>\n
Sisters and brothers, the decisions and recommendations of Government must be\u00a0 complemented by public cooperation and compliance. We are making a concerted\u00a0 effort to avoid implementing tougher restrictions on the population at this time.\u00a0 Therefore, I urge all citizens to recognise your individual responsibility to protect\u00a0 yourselves and your loved ones. The grim reality is that if a significant difference is not\u00a0 observed within the next week or two, with respect to the rate of infections,\u00a0 Government could be forced to resort to a 24-hour lockdown.<\/p>\n
I take a moment here to offer prayers and best wishes to those who have tested\u00a0 positive for COVID-19. We wish you a speedy recovery, particularly those who have\u00a0 developed symptoms in the last few days. The continuing rise in the number of positive\u00a0 cases, 57 as of December 21, with 50 being directly linked to the cluster, could present\u00a0 a serious threat to the capacity of the health care system, should any significant\u00a0 number of persons develop symptoms that require hospitalisation.<\/p>\n
It is an opportune time to express immense gratitude to all frontline workers. Your\u00a0 unwavering commitment and willingness to go beyond the call of duty are greatly\u00a0 appreciated. We thank you for your sacrifices and we pledge to do our part in the fight\u00a0 against COVID-19. To our police officers, although ideally, we would want to see a\u00a0 greater level of voluntary compliance, we encourage you to be firm in enforcing the\u00a0 protocols.<\/p>\n
In the past few days, we have intensified our public awareness efforts. I\u2019m sure many\u00a0 of you have heard the public address systems passing through various communities,\u00a0 sharing information on the recommended protocols. I encourage you to pay close\u00a0 attention to these timely reminders of all the practices we ought to be quite familiar\u00a0 with by now.<\/p>\n
Sisters and brothers, these are indeed very challenging times, especially for leaders.\u00a0 Although we are faced with making tough decisions daily, we are doing so in the midst\u00a0 of a global pandemic that has created an unprecedented impact on life as we know it.\u00a0 The decision to impose restrictions on the population, particularly at this time of the\u00a0 year, was not an easy one.<\/p>\n
Traditionally, Christmas is all about togetherness, celebrating the birth of Christ and\u00a0 sharing in the love, joy and happiness that the season brings. As a devout Christian\u00a0 myself, the decision to restrict this much-anticipated togetherness is one of the hardest\u00a0 decisions I have had to make. But I am convinced that it was a necessary one,\u00a0 because the very act of coming together, can in fact put our loved ones at risk.<\/p>\n
As Prime Minister of this country, with responsibility for the safety of thousands of\u00a0 people, it is incumbent on me, to minimise any potential threat to the population. It is\u00a0 with a heavy heart that I make tonight\u2019s announcement to impose a nightly curfew. I\u00a0 am not the Grinch that stole Christmas, I am the leader who is trying to ensure that we\u00a0 protect ourselves now to have a chance of celebrating future Christmases together.<\/p>\n
2020 has been a painful year, filled with uncertainty, anxiety, frustration and even\u00a0 despair. Government remains committed to doing what we must to protect the people\u00a0 of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique but our efforts will amount to naught, if\u00a0 people are not cooperative. One of the key messages throughout this pandemic has\u00a0 been the importance of compliance \u2013 help us to help you. Government can only do so\u00a0 much, the real success in the fight against COVID-19 depends largely on the individual\u00a0 actions of the population, in following the recommended protocols. We are in this\u00a0 together, and I am confident, that together we can do this.<\/p>\n
I thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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