Restrictive measures for Greater Male' area strengthened

The government has extended the curfew period presently in effect in the Greater Male' Area for two weeks from Wednesday onwards.

Everyone will be required to have a pass to go out during the curfew period as well.

The government is hesitant to call this a lockdown, even though all the restrictions in previous lockdowns are present in the new measures.

In a media briefing by Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) on Monday, they announced the curfew period will be from 1600hrs to 0800hrs in the morning. The current curfew is from 1600hrs to 0400hrs.

Each household will be issued two special passes and the passes will be required to go out of the house during the non-curfew period as well. The passes cannot be used to leave their homes during the curfew period. The passes are issued based on two different timings; one from 0800hrs to 1200hrs while the other one will be from 1200hrs to 1600hrs.

Residents of Male' cannot use the passes issued to travel to Hulhumale, and vice versa. However, the passes can be used for Male'-Vilimale' travel.

"These permits will be given for essential uses during that period only," Spokesperson of the President's Office Mohamed Mabrook Azeez had said.

The passes can be requested via the police portal from 2000hrs on Monday evening. When requesting for a pass, the electricity meter of the household should be provided in addition to their name and the address of the individual.

Mabrook said during the next two weeks, delivery services can be provided from 0600hrs to 0000hrs. People visiting shops, or cafe's and restaurants for either dine-in or takeaway during curfew hours will be fined as much as 5,000 Rufiyaa.

The passes currently issued for deliveries can be used during the extended curfew period as well.

As per the new, stricter restrictions, cafe's and restaurants will only be allowed to deliver products. Takeaway services would not be allowed.

Maldives is in one of its worst COVID-19 spikes right now. One hundred and thirty eight people have so far passed away due to COVID-19.