HPA: Short term travel for political activities not permitted

Health Protection Agency (HPA) has reminded the public of instances where travel to other islands from Male’ City in the Maldives without quarantine for a period of five days is permitted. 

HPA today announced seven instances where such travel is permitted. 

• Cable and media network services
• Banking services
• Water supply, electricity, and utility services
• Health services and provision of immediate services
• Maintenance work
• Government projects and projects run by private individuals
• General work related to public service

Political campaign and political purposes are still not permitted under the HPA guidelines. Individuals traveling for these specific reasons for a period of five days are not required to quarantine. The employee traveling must also consent to the work and any positive cases of the virus confirmed while the employee is in an island, are to be reported immediately. After concluding the work, the employee must be transported back to Male’ City as soon as possible. 

If the work takes more than ten days, special permission is required from the HPA. HPA said that the purpose of the measures were to stop the spread of COVID-19 to other islands in the nation.