TRUE BLUE, Grenada, August 31, 2021 —  St. George’s University (SGU) is profoundly saddened by the recently reported COVID-19 related fatality in Grenada and extends condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this loss. The SGU global community has seen the ravages of the virus in communities around the world and restates its commitment to doing its part to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in Grenada.

“This is not the first crisis we have navigated together, and in each instance, unity and love of country have guided us through. We are all in this together and SGU continues to stand by Grenadians in the fight against the virus”, Dr. Charles Modica, Chancellor of SGU, stated. “COVID-19 hospitalizations have peaked in the US, and Florida where I live now is seeing the worst of the pandemic with the Delta virus wave. More than 99% of recent COVID-19 deaths in the US involve unvaccinated people, and I urge everyone in Grenada to follow health protocols and get vaccinated as the only way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization, or fatality from COVID-19”. 

While vaccinations are an important part of our fight against COVID-19, SGU will continue to work closely with the Government of Grenada in procuring medical equipment for the General Hospital and providing laboratory and professional assistance to prepare the island’s health care system to fight the shared threat of this virus.

Inspired by the historic tradition of fellowship between SGU students and the citizens of Grenada, the SGU Coronavirus Response Team has kept the health and safety of the University community and the citizens of Grenada at the forefront of all its decision-making. This group, which includes infectious disease experts in the School of Medicine, have made careful and thoughtful decisions backed by scientific research and data in their support of the government’s public health response. 

As the COVID-19 virus evolves to include more transmissible versions like the Delta variant, SGU is always re-evaluating safety protocols to respond to each situation and scientific discovery in real time. As an extra precaution and to help ensure the health and safety of everyone in Grenada, SGU is requiring all students, faculty, and staff, on-campus, to wear a face mask when indoors as per current CDC guidelines for fully vaccinated people. This measure is consistent with the steps taken by most universities located in areas with significant increases in active cases of COVID-19 and with and with our continued commitment to supporting the Grenadian community during this pandemic. 

“During preparation for a safe return to campus, we had the opportunity to upgrade our laboratory at the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF) to a state of-the-art molecular PCR diagnostic facility,” said Dr. Richard Liebowitz, Vice Chancellor of St. George’s University. “In addition to our updated mask policy, timely and gold-standard PCR testing will play a significant role in helping to identify infected individuals and assisting in the reduction of community transmission. To support the contact tracing and testing efforts of Grenada’s Ministry of Health, we have required PCR testing for all students, faculty, and staff on campus within the next ten days. We are prepared to do our part to reduce the spread of the virus in Grenada”.

On April 15, SGU announced the decision to return to in-person learning on the True Blue Campus. A critical part of this plan required COVID-19 vaccinations for all students, faculty, staff, administrators, vendors, and visitors on campus and strict adherence to Grenada’s Public Health (COVID-19) Regulations and Quarantine Act. In the weeks leading up to the start of the August term, the University mobilized various support services teams to guide students returning through the COVID-19 travel protocols for fully vaccinated travelers. SGU also put in place proactive measures, such as digital vaccination verifications, a pre-travel checklist, SGU airport ambassadors, and specialized COVID-19 sanitization training for room attendants – all implemented to help lessen the risk of infections on campus and to help keep Grenada healthy and safe. 

“I am humbled and proud of our grads working on the frontline in US hospitals or conducting vaccine research in labs. They have not hesitated to carve out time to share expertise to help the Grenadian community navigate the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Marios Loukas, Dean of the School of Medicine at St. George’s University. “I feel grateful to call Grenada home, and they called Grenada home for two years. As a community united by the love for Grenada, we are committed to ensuring our students, some of who will become future doctors, adhere to the University Code of Conduct and honor the oath they took at the start of their medical journey”. 

SGU stands with the people of Grenada and will continue to closely monitor Grenada’s Ministry of Health regulations and CDC recommendations to ensure the health and safety of our campus and our Grenadian community.