President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced the decision to allow individuals to travel to islands without quarantine once two weeks have passed since receiving the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The President made the announcement in a tweet posted on April 15. In his tweet, President Solih noted Male’ City went into lockdown exactly one year ago, following its first positive COVID-19 case. He said as the country waits for life to return to normal, he was pleased to announce that those who have had 2 weeks pass since their second vaccine dose can soon travel freely to the atolls.
Soon after the President’s announcement, Health Protection Agency (HPA) issued the new guideline for travelling without quarantine. In the guideline, HPA revealed all individuals can travel without quarantine to islands where 60% of the population have completed their vaccine dosage. Individuals who have had two weeks passed since receiving the second dose of the vaccine can travel freely to all islands, even if 60% of the island’s population is not vaccinated. However, if they are travelling from an island or region where COVID-19 positivity rate is above 5%, they must present a negative PCR test before departure.
Meanwhile, children who are not eligible to receive the vaccine can also travel without quarantine upon a negative PCR test. HPA revealed the guideline will be in effect starting from April 20.
HPA imposed restrictions in travelling from the Greater Male’ Region to the atolls upon the detection of COVID-19 cases in the capital in April last year. Individuals travelling to the atolls were required to undergo home quarantine for 10 days upon arrival, and undergo a PCR test to be released from quarantine.