by Linda Straker
- Over 160 policemen infected and in self-quarantine, affecting productive level of RGPF
- Less than 50% of Force vaccinated
- Local active cases moved from 5 on 17 August to 1,791 on 10 September 2021
Approximately 20% of officers in the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) are currently infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. This has resulted in some officers having to work between 15 to 16 hours per day.
Grenada began recording an upsurge in mid-August of Covid-19 due to mass gatherings events some of which were not authorised by the authorities. Local active cases moved from 5 on 17 August to 1,791 on 10 September 2021. Health authorities have declared that the country is affected by community spread with the Delta variant which was detected in early August as the main strain.
“There are a number of policemen, I think it’s over 160 odd policemen, who are infected and many of them have to self-quarantine, and it is affecting them and their families and it’s affecting the productive level of the force,” said Dr Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister and Minister for National Security.
“It’s a tough act for everybody, with the lockdown this weekend, almost every police having to be working 15 to 16 hours, otherwise, we won’t be able to achieve a significant impact with the lockdown we are implementing,” Dr Mitchell said in a live interview late Friday. “They are trying their best, they are giving the Government the support they can. The leadership is trying but at the same time there are serious limitations.” The Prime Minister explained that the purpose of the weekend lockdown is to reduce on the movement of people “because when people move, the virus moves.”
In a recent interview, Commissioner of Police Edvin Martin disclosed that less than 50% of the Force were vaccinated, but educational sessions facilitated by members of the medical fraternity were in progress with a view to getting more officers to become vaccinated.
Data from the Ministry of Health has shown an increase in vaccination since the cases began to increase but it’s not clear if some of the newly vaccinated with the first dose are police officers.
The legislation establishing the Police Force allows for 1,025 sworn positions for the maintenance of law and order, the preservation of the peace, the protection of life and property, the prevention and detection of crime, the enforcement of all laws and regulations with which it is charged, and the apprehension of offenders.
So only half of Grenadian police officers have had the jab. Just goes to prove what we all knew anyway – coppers ain’t known for their brains!!!!!
thats for sure and this proves it ! are they educated ?
These are the words of the PM Friday,
The Prime Minister explained that the purpose of the weekend lockdown is to reduce on the movement of people “because when people move, the virus moves.”
So what is the point of locking everything down for two days. When you unlock again, the virus can just keep right on going, so then lock us down again, then open us up again. It will be never ending. And the biggest spreader is 17 people jammed in a bus, moving up and down all over the island, every day.
Not the beach, that is the best place to be..
In the meantime he will bring the economy to its knees. If people do not want the vaccine you will never get them to take it. So lets just get on with life, we have to learn to live with this virus, just like Influenza, we have a vaccine for that, but one billion people still catch it and people die.
If you are reasonably healthy, get vaccinated, you are very unlikely to be seriously affected by Covid. If you have medical conditions, are unvaccinated, you will likely end up in hostpital.
I do not understand why the PM has done absolutely nothing in 18 months to improve the medical facilities on the island, he borrowed money to improve an airport, so should have used that to build a new hostpital instead, for the benefit of all Grenadians. The least he should have done is get two hostpital ships on the cruise ship jetty’s, so all Covid patients to not contaminate the general hostpital.
This situation we now have was inevitable, it was never if it will happen, it was always just when it would happen and the man has done nothing to be ready for it.
Unfortunately, many more will die on this island, locked down or not.
So open everything up for vaccinated people,only, at least the economy can start to recover and then unvaccinated people have a big incentive to take the vaccine. As of now, they can do exactly the same as a vaccinated person, so they don’t see any point in taking it.
Some of you are just missing the point. Stupse !
What point are we missing, Covid is here to stay, it is not going anywhere soon
Persons choosing to serve in the military and the police are choosing a profession with a higher than average risk of death and bodily harm. These professions involve putting your life on the line to protect civilians. So no police officer can tell me they’re brave enough to choose this profession but they’re afraid of a vaccine! Every police officer afraid of the vaccine is a coward who, when push comes to shove, will put his own life ahead of the lives of the law-abiding citizens he is charged with protecting and serving!
It is shocking & beyond belief that a frontline public service has less than 50% vaccinated. These people should be setting an example not helping to spread the virus.
THESE ARE THE SUPERSPREADERS!!
While the rest of us are on lockdown unable to do anything, the officers are traveling around the island infecting their colleagues as well as many of the civilians. This is infuriating! They should be held to the same standards as the rest of the citizens and should have been the first to get vaccinated. This is very upsetting and concerning.
You are beyond doubt correct Paul, and WHY all officers are not vaccinated I do not know.
Looking at the responses here seem to suggest that vaccinated people cannot spread the virus. Guys, the science does not say that. So lets stop displaying ignorance.
Oliver, you are unfortunately correct but all police officers should still be vaccinated to protect themselves from serious illness and to reduce their downtime if they do test positive.
The hospital has already reached full capacity for covid 19 patients hence it is essential that everybody gets vaccinated as soon as possible.
Yes, all true. It is worth noting that vaccinated carriers of the virus are less contagious and for a shorter window of time.
We all know that 10% to 15% of vaccinated people can still get the virus & can then, obviously, spread it. What you are saying appears to suggest both vaccinated & unvaccinated can spread it in equal measures. The point you are missing is 85% to 90% of fully vaccinated people will NOT get the virus & cannot, therefore, spread it.