by Linda Straker
- Amendment does not make vaccination mandatory
- Provides a social benefit for those who are fully vaccinated
- Business place owners or operators must apply for waiver from Chief Medical Officer
Individuals who are fully vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus with any of the available vaccines can get together for entertainment and other business purposes once the waiver application is approved by the Chief Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health.
The business place owners or operators must first apply for the waiver.
Grenada has amended its Emergency Powers regulations giving the Chief Medical Officer the Power to waive a business place from enforcing the section sub-titled “Physical distancing and sanitation protocols for establishments and businesses” once he is satisfied that all individuals in that establishment or business is fully vaccinated.
“The Chief Medical Officer may grant a written waiver of the application of regulation 5 (1) in respect of a business, establishment or office, or a category of businesses, establishments or offices, if the Chief Medical Officer is satisfied that all members of staff are fully vaccinated and on the condition that no person would be permitted to enter the premises unless he or she is fully vaccinated,” reads the amended regulations which were gazetted on 21 July 2021.
Regulation 5 (1) says that every establishment shall:
(a) ensure that all customers and staff maintain physical distancing of no less than six feet (6ft.) in or outside their business, establishment or office;
(b) determine the number of individuals that may be permitted in the business, establishment or office at any one time by permitting one person for every thirty square feet (30 sq. ft.) of store space;
(c) place distance markers six feet (6ft.) apart, indicating where each customer must stand on a line at a checkout point; and
(d) place distance markers six feet (6ft.) apart on the outside of the business, establishment or office, indicating where customers must stand while waiting to enter the business, establishment or office.
Labelled as Emergency Powers (Covid-19) (Amendment) (NO.4), the regulations also say that “Where a business, establishment or office to which a written waiver under sub-regulation (7) has been granted admits a person who is not fully vaccinated and does not comply with regulation 5 (1), the business, establishment or office commits an offence and is liable to the penalty imposed under regulation 14.”
According to the Regulations, a person is deemed to be fully vaccinated if:
(a) in the case of a type of Covid-19 vaccine requiring two doses, 14 days have elapsed since he or she received the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine; and
(b) in the case of a type of Covid-19 vaccine requiring one dose, 14 days have elapsed since he or she received the dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.”
The amendment does not make vaccination mandatory, but provides a social benefit for those who are fully vaccinated.