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Sunday 22 Dec 2024
LOCAL EDITION
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LOCAL EDITION
A woman is assisted on board a speedboat docked at Male' City.
People in the greater Male’ region who have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine can now travel to other islands without quarantine, given that at least two weeks have passed since they received their second dose, and they produce proof of a negative PCR test.
According to Health Protection Agency (HPA)’s guideline on easing travel restrictions with vaccination, travel without quarantine is permissible to islands where 60 percent of the population have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
HPA is required to release a list of the islands which have achieved the vaccination target.
However, an official from Health Emergency Operations Center (HOEC) told Sun on Tuesday that no island has achieved the targeted rate of vaccination.
The guideline further states that travel to islands where less than 60 percent of the population have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine is permissible only for those who have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, minimum two weeks after they receive their second dose, if they produce proof of a negative PCR test.
Meanwhile, those traveling from an island with a COVID-19 positivity rate of five percent or higher to other islands will require proof of a negative PCR test, as will children who are ineligible for the vaccine.
HPA released the list of islands with a positivity rate of five percent and above on Monday.
The list includes the greater Male’ region and six additional islands – Lh. Naifaru, B. Maalhos, Th. Veymandoo, K. Huraa, K. Dhiffushi and ADh. Maamigili.
Therefore, people in greater Male’ region who have completed their second dose at least two weeks before can now travel to other islands without quarantine if they produce proof of a negative PCR test, starting this Tuesday.
However, some of the islands outside the greater Male’ region remain under monitoring. They are:
Travelers who have completed two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, including tourists, no longer require proof of negative PCR test or need to undergo quarantine when entering Maldives.
