COVID-19 pandemic in Grenada
The COVID-19 pandemic in Grenada is part of the ongoing global viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was confirmed to have reached Grenada on March 22, 2020. Despite lockdowns and social distancing protocols, it appeared to have reached the level of community spread within one month. However, cases continued to decline through May, and by June 18, 2020, the Ministry of Health declared zero active cases — indicating Grenada's efforts were successful in ridding the country of the virus. This situation continued until December 2020, when a small outbreak occurred (including the island's  first Covid-related death), associated with the Sandals Resort and a "travel corridor" that did not require guests to be tested for COVID-19. However, this incident notwithstanding, the vast majority of cases in Grenada through August 2021 were those caught during quarantine confinement of incoming travelers. In August 2021, an outbreak of the delta variant resulted in substantial community spread and nearly 200 deaths. By mid-October 2021, however, the outbreak was largely contained and life returned to normal, although a small amount of community spread continued through the rest of 2021. Background. On 12 January 2020, the World Health  Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019. The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003, but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll. Like most countries, Grenada had increased screening at the airport in early February and begun sending test samples to CARPHA. At 12am on March 23, the airport was closed to commercial passenger traffic indefinitely, and on June  28 it was announced to remain closed until at least the end of July. Timeline. Active Cases Since March 2020 Total Deaths Since March 2020 (officially confirmed as COVID-19) Active Cases Prior to August 2021 Mid-2021 Surge In Detail (Active Cases) Mid-2021 Surge In Detail (Daily Deaths) Prevention. Emergency powers. The government of Prime minister Keith Mitchell instituted a series of increasingly tightening social distancing and quarantine policies that eventually led to a full country lockdown. Prior to the island's first case (but in anticipation of it occurring), schools and public gatherings were banned and social distancing encouraged on  March 14. It was known that at least three persons who later tested positive to COVID-19 elsewhere had traveled through Grenada. Following the first confirmed case on March 22, the airport was closed to commercial traffic and remained closed indefinitely. On March 25, emergency powers were implemented to restrict movement and nightly curfews. Businesses unable to enforce social distancing were ordered to be closed (e.g., many restaurants and bars became take-out only). These were quickly revised into a full, 24-hour lockdown on March 30, where all citizens were to remain in their homes and all business were closed  except essential services described in the act. Specific grocery days were permitted under control of the RGPF, and various changes were experimented with how to effectively handle shopping days (e.g., surname days, times for senior citizens, etc.). The first 24-hour period was to last one week, but following continued exposure of new cases, it was expanded for two additional weeks (thru April 20), then another week (now with relaxed protocols), and again for a fifth week (thru May 5). On April 18, Emergency Powers were officially extended an additional six months, solely as a precaution should new cases arise  (rather than have them expire every few weeks). With no new cases in the first week of May, Prime Minister Keith Mitchell announced a relaxation of the 24-hour curfew rules, with pre-approved businesses (e.g., grocery stores, banks, etc.) allowed to open every day again, beginning May 11, albeit with continued maintenance of a curfew from 7pm to 5pm. Among other things, construction projects and landscaping could also restart, as could travel between the sister islands, although international borders would remain closed until early June. Nonetheless, the ban on public buses remained in effect, limiting access to  those who owned private vehicles, and restaurants remained take-out only. These easements continued into the week of May 25, with the reopening of retail stores and beautification shops (e.g., hair salons and barbers), as well as public ferry service between Grenada and Carriacou. No date was given for opening the airport, but Minister Steele ensured the public that a two-week notice would precipitate the airport opening and that it would not happen until at least a "three month supply" of rapid tests had been acquired on island (see Economic Effects below). Similarly, public buses were not yet allowed  to recommence service, and negotiations with the bus association were frayed by government's refusal to allow a $0.50 price increase in return for the spatially-distanced, reduced passenger loads required (bus transport restarted on June 1 despite lack of agreement) (see Economic Effects below). As cases continued to decline throughout June 2020, Emergency Powers were continued, but with incremental loosening. On June 16, the daily curfew was loosened from 5am to 9pm (previously from 6am to 7pm) and in-dining restaurants were allowed, so long as they were approved by the Ministry of Health  beforehand. On June 28, the curfew was again relaxed to 5am-11pm, remaining so until September 2021, when community spread occurred. Testing and tracing. As faster testing (e.g., antibody tests) became available through the help of St. George's University and Venezuela, the government became increasingly confidant in very low (if any) community spread. While the PM has mentioned June as an anticipated full internal opening (still keeping borders closed), the low spread of the disease has encouraged the RGPF to offer increasing exceptions to the lockdown rules. By April 18, government relayed their expectation to relax the 24-hour curfew  period after April 27, since they had then tested 116 PCR and 82 "rapid" (antibody) tests, with no new cases discovered (although widespread testing will continue). Indeed, they also announced that 7 of the infected persons had now recovered. However, this attitude of victory soon changed on April 20. At the start of the relaxed-curfew week (April 20–24), the RGPF made a morning press conference clarifying the businesses allowed to open and general protocols for the next week, which included opening parish boundaries for the first time in four weeks. Many people rightly treated this as the start of  a reopening period. But at noon, Minister Nickolas Steele made an emergency announcement that a new patient (Case #15) had been admitted to the General Hospital on April 19, exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 and tested positive for the rapid (antibody) test. After two days of waiting, the patient was confirmed positive via multiple PCR tests. Since the individual—as far as is known—had not traveled, nor been in contact with anyone who had traveled, nor been in contact with any positive cases, it appeared to be the first case of community spread, likely acquired from an undiagnosed, asymptomatic case . On April 25, the third such asymptomatic case was confirmed (like the others, considered "import-related"), along with two colleagues of Case #15. It was also announced that 175 PCR and 1000 rapid tests had been conducted to date (April 25), including 69 employees from the workplace of Case #15 and 57 tests in Carriacou and Petite Martinique. By April 29, it was announced that 1200 rapid tests and 206 PCR tests had been conducted, although the number of positive rapid tests was not released, as the official count is based solely on active cases confirmed via PCR. By May  5, 2020, 309 PCR and 1472 Rapid tests had been conducted, which were then expanded for several rounds of testing of the factory in Tempe (related to Case #15). These tests came back negative, confirming that community spread (if it occurred at all) had now abated. On May 12, the Ministry of Health reported they had conducted 412 PCR tests and 2007 rapid tests in total. On May 15, upon announcing the 22nd positive case, Ministry of Health recorded 2459 rapid tests conducted and 454 PCR. By May 25, contact-tracing investigations into Case #15 were said to be closed , with no further individuals having tested positive. It remains unclear, however, whether Case #15 was indeed a case of community spread or someone at the factory had acquired the virus through interactions on the port. The entire crew of at least one cargo vessel with whom Case #15 interacted with was tracked down and tested, but all were negative. Regional cooperation. In instituting its response to the pandemic, the government of Grenada has worked in concert with PAHO, CARPHA, and regional governments. However, the closing of borders led to tension with St. Vincent's, where the government of Ralph Gonsalves  was much more lax. On April 11, Gonsalves criticized Mitchell's treatment of Grenada's Grenadine Islands, stating "I want to say to the people of Carriacou & Petite Martinique that if you have difficulty in getting food, we can help"—to which Mitchell, when asked in a press briefing, called "grossly irresponsible." The spat was a reminder of the historical tensions regarding ownership of the Grenadine islands. Following a deadly fire on May 19, 2020, at Union Island's only petrol station, Grenada announced efforts were underway to offer daily refueling assistance. Economic effects. General economy. As with the rest of  the world, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on Grenada's economy, least not the ripple effects of a collapsed tourism industry. On March 20, 2020, the government announced a stimulus package to provide income support to small businesses, suspension of various taxes, and unemployment benefits to eligible citizens, which took about a month to fully roll out. Seven sub-committees have also been set up to focus on the needs of tourism & citizen by investment, construction, education, small businesses, agriculture and fisheries, manufacturing, and e-commerce. To help meet the short-falls, Grenada a received rapid loan of US$22.4  million from the IMF, in a package aimed at the Eastern Caribbean countries of Dominica, Grenada, and St. Lucia, more than doubling the previous US$14.38 million Grenada owed to the lender. Another loan of $5.9 million was secured through the Caribbean Development Bank. Airports. On March 22, Grenada's international airport and Carriacou's regional airport were closed to all commercial passenger traffic, and remained so through the 2020 summer. With the stoppage of passenger flights, courier mail services (such as the USPS and Royal Mail) were halted, with only private courier flights like Fed-Ex and DHL  allowed. On May 29, it was announced that June 30 was the anticipated opening of the borders (and thus, airports), with the expectation that all incoming passengers would receive a temperature check, rapid antibody test, and would self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival. A mobile app will be employed to monitor symptoms and movements of individuals during their quarantine period. On June 26, Clarice Modeste-Curwen, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, announced that the airports were prepared to reopen. However, in a speech to the nation two days later (June 28), Prime Minister Keith Mitchell stated international travel  would likely not commence until early August, citing the resurgence of the virus in the United States (a major source country for Grenada's tourism) and the refusal of international airlines to require passenger testing prior to boarding. Public transport. Public bus transport was allowed to recommence on June 1, but with reduced passenger loads (12 people max, including driver and conductor—later increased to 15). On June 10, 2020, the government claimed to have paid $360k in stimulus to bus drivers, equating $800/month per bus. The bus association has thanked government for this stimulus, but (noting  the stimulus will end once bus operations restart) they requested a price increase of $0.50/passenger going forward to offset losses of enforced protocols, emergency power curfews, and suppressed passenger traffic in general. No agreement was reached, so buses restarted operation without further government support. Vaccination. Grenada received its first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in February 2021, but its vaccination rate remained low amongst other Caricom nations. On 19 August 2021, the United States confirmed the delivery of 29,250 doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine to the Government of Grenada. As of 2 September, 2021, number of persons  vaccinated (1st dose)- 26,088 and number of persons vaccinated (2nd dose)- 19,372. As of 3 September, 2021, number of persons vaccinated (1st dose)- 26,545 and number of persons vaccinated (2nd dose)- 19,450. During the wave of new cases, vaccinations increased dramatically, with over 5000 first doses administered between August 18 and September 7. On 19 November, 2021, Argentina formalized its donation of 11,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Grenada, which amounts to about 10% of Grenada's target population for vaccination.