Grenada’s curfew continues but will now end at 4 am
Starting today, Thursday, Grenada’s curfew will end at 4 am so that farmers, fishermen and others who commute early will get the opportunity to legally move around without restriction.
“Cabinet has decided to continue with the curfew but with slight variation. The curfew now runs from 10 pm to 4 am instead of 5 am. The reason for that change is that there is a significant number of farmers, fishermen and persons who exercise on mornings who have been restricted by the 5 am end of curfew and these are activities we want to accommodate if not encourage at this point in time,” Health Minister Nickolas Steele said on Wednesday, 10 February during the post-cabinet weekly briefing.
At present, there are no active Covid-19 cases on the island but there are almost 200 in quarantine. Steele said that the decision to continue with the curfew is in the best interest of all citizens as the country is within close proximity to other islands where there are outbreaks of COVID-19 infection.
He explained that the authorities have recognised that in the Caribbean and worldwide the present strains of Covid are extremely unforgiving and if complete free movement is allowed in the country, and Covid does get in, the population will be overrun and the healthcare system will be overwhelmed.
“No matter how stringent our policies are at the border…by the time you pick it up, there is another strain, it is too late and as such regrettably, we will have to continue with the curfew.” Steele explained that removal of the curfew will depend on the threat to Grenada.
Besides the adjustment time to the curfew which will continue until there is a change, the Cabinet also approved an increase for the number of persons who can attend weddings and funerals, and the return of 3-foot physical distancing at schools.
Fifty people can now attend funerals and weddings, but special permission will be needed from the police to increase the numbers. Previously, the regulations had given a limitation of 20 people.
Steele said that amidst the challenge of adjusting to the measures enforced because of COVID-19, Grenada and other regional states are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel with the arrival of the COVID vaccines.