Pack Your Bags & Get Ready to Return to the Resorts!

Year 2020, for most parts was spent at the restraint of our homes, thanks to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Maldivians, especially those residing in the Greater Male’ Area, has surely been craving the sun, sand and the sea for like forever. An island is not far away, on most cases. But, the mandatory quarantine period after travelling has been a turn off and a main reason why persons have chosen to stay home on this year-end holidays.

Today, the Health Protection Agency (HPA), has amended their regulations to allow locals to be granted entry to local resorts for the purpose of a vacation provided that the individuals produce a negative PCR test administered not prior to 72 hours. The regulations further state that meals and stay of such individuals must be arranged separately from the employees of the resort. There is a catch though of course; such travelers must also be quarantined for a period of 10 days if the resort is not located within the Male’ region. The same rules will also apply for any individual going to a resort for a short period of time for work.

Apart from this, effective of 20^th December, locals and expatriates holding work visa traveling from abroad must have a PCR negative result that was obtained within 96 hours from the first port. Children below the age of 1 are exempted. Furthermore, in travelling to inhabited islands, resorts and those in the health & education sector and who work at government shelter facilities will have to observe a 10-day quarantine period as of now. They will be released with a PCR negative result. However, PCR negative results will not be required before traveling to other islands to provide essential services.

Photos: Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives