Grenada is awaiting test results from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to determine whether or not there are new variants of COVID-19 on island. The samples sent to CARPHA are from the two imported cases, one of which remains in quarantine. Since the first confirmed case in March 2020, Grenada has recorded 165 COVID-19 cases, 85 of which were imported. Health and Social Security Minister Hon. Nickolas Steele on Tuesday said the results are expected soon. “The first of three was tested and the Alpha variant was identified, which is also known as the UK variant. The results for the other two cases are pending and we expect those results by the end of this week. We have the ability on island as well but the process does take some time to identify the variants.” He added, “It is a matter of time before we do find one of the more deadly variants and hopefully, we will be able to have that individual in quarantine. Those new variants are less forgiving; any breach or interaction with unvaccinated persons from someone testing positive from any one of the variants, puts us all at risk.” Government has been encouraging the public to get vaccinated through heightened public education campaigns and vaccination drives. However, there is still a great degree of vaccine hesitancy. Minister Steele stressed that it is critically important for frontline workers to be fully vaccinated. He said, “That’s why we are pushing and have made it mandatory for quarantine sites to be staffed only with fully vaccinated people. We need the taxi drivers and airport staff to be fully vaccinated as well. We only need one simple minor chance interaction with an individual in the process of coming into Grenada or going into quarantine, for us to run the risk of the disease spreading locally.” He added, “That’s all it took in St. Kitts and the British Virgin Islands; Grenada is no different. So we are calling on individuals to please come forward, take your vaccine.” Presently, there are 740 individuals in travel-related quarantine. To date, close to 21,000 Grenadians have received the first dose of the vaccine and just over fifteen thousand have received both doses