HPA announces travel guidelines including quarantine exceptions

Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced a guideline for traveling to islands where guesthouses are operated without undergoing quarantine along with instances of when travel can be permitted to islands with no guesthouses.

HPA said that people traveling between islands where guesthouses are operated will not need to quarantine. However, as a safety measure, people traveling to islands with no guesthouses would still need to quarantine. There are exceptions to this rule where quarantine is not mandatory. 

The exceptions are:

• Medical care (Emergency, Outpatient consultation and admissions)
• Visiting a family member who is ill
• Banking services
• School and education purposes
• Trade of food and other items (including agricultural produce, fish, and oil)
• Court summons

Travelers under these circumstances are still required to follow guidelines by the HPA such as notifying the local council along with the reason for travel and the individuals traveling to the island which is to be informed by the owner of the vessel making the trip. 

People traveling between islands with guesthouses are required to wear face masks at all times and maintain social distancing. They are also required to keep their distance away from tourists and take extra precautionary measures when obtaining services. 

Travelers are also not allowed to stay in guesthouses where tourists stay and are also required to have separate accommodations (rooms) even if they are staying in a household where others reside. Tourists are also not permitted to travel to islands with no guesthouses. Tourists from resorts are permitted on islands with guesthouses although tourists from liveaboards and safaris are not permitted to do so.