Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced the new policies to travel to islands for essential use, banning the travel to islands for school holidays. HPA announced the new measures at a time when the government has restricted movement between islands in efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.
It is banned for citizens to travel from the Greater Male' Region to the atolls unless it is for an essential purpose, according to the new measures.
The essential purposes announced by HPA are returning to an island after receiving medical care at Male' city or to accompany such a patient, returning to an island as living in the capital city becomes a financial burden or another similar reason, travelling to an island to stay with sick parents or pregnant wife, returning to an island after completing the education in Male'. However, interruption in studies or school holidays is not considered as an essential purpose to travel from Male' to other islands.
HPA advised individuals who wish to travel to other islands for emergency purposes to request a permit through the Health Portal and that they will be required to upload a document from the island councils as well.
All travelers are required to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine period and will be released after a negative result upon completion of the quarantine.