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PCR tests not required to travel to islands with 90 percent vaccination rates starting September

Lamya Abdulla
05 August 2021, MVT 22:36
Health workers talking to person about to get inoculated — Photo: Nishan Ali/ Mihaaru
Lamya Abdulla
05 August 2021, MVT 22:36

PCR test will not be required to travel to islands with over 90 percent vaccination rate from next month onwards.

In a press conference held by Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC), their spokesperson Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said the current travel restrictions will be eased, if the islands have a less than five percent positivity rate for COVID-19, in addition to the aforementioned ones.

If an island operates guest houses, 90 percent of their staff must be fully vaccinated. Ninety percent of people above the age of 65 should also be vaccinated in such islands.

However, starting next month onwards, unvaccinated people will be required to complete mandatory quarantine as well if they travel. They will have to cover the cost for release samples on their own as well.

Maldives saw a surge in cases in late April, with May being one of the months with the highest amount of COVID-19 cases. It is also the month with the highest recorded COVID fatalities in the nation, with 88 deaths.

Since the spread of the coronavirus appears to be controlled now, the restrictions placed have been eased.

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