Maldives is shortening the recommended time for isolation for the public

14 January, 2022

Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, the Maldives is shortening the recommended time for isolation for the public. Maldives Department of Health on Thursday shortened isolation period for Covid-19 positive cases and direct contacts, with the new rules applying to both locals and tourists.

Isolation period for those identified as a positive case of Covid-19:

• Individual(s) who test positive and asymptomatic are required to be in Isolation for a period of seven days from the date of sample collection. However, those who exhibit covid symptoms at the end of isolation period specified are required to continue their isolation until 24 hours after symptoms have cleared.
• All tourist facility must ensure that the current practice of assessment by a doctor at the end of specified isolation period and it 1s recorded on the Release Summary Form. The said form must be filled and submitted to recovery @health.gov.mv.

The above are applicable even if the individuals have not completed the prescribed doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Quarantine duration for those identified as direct contacts:

• Individuals who are identified as a direct contact of a positive case and who have not completed the prescribed dose(s) of a Covid-19 vaccine will have to undergo quarantine for a period of 10 days from the date of sample collection and can be released without a PCR test if the individuals do not exhibit any symptoms of Covid-19 at the end of the 10-day period.
• However, the quarantine period will come to an end upon submission of a negative PCR test done at the end of the fifth day of quarantine from the date the individuals were identified as a direct contact and quarantined. These eases are strictly applicable for those direct contacts who are quarantined separately.
• However, if children under 12 years of age or an individual who is not eligible for vaccination of a Covid-19 vaccine are placed under quarantine with a vaccinated individual who may avail the ease, they may submit a special request for the release of the said child/individual (with an ID/Passport copy) via email to ct.teaml @health.gov.mv (cc: smu @tourism.gov.mv).
• Individual(s) who are identified as a direct contact of a positive case and who have not completed the prescribed doses of a Covid-19 vaccine shall complete 14 days of quarantine followed by a negative PCR test result at the end of this quarantine period.

Maldives reopened its borders to tourists of all nationalities on July 15, 2020, with rigorous procedures in place to ensure the safety of tourists and tourism workers.

Tourists are required to fill an online health declaration form within 24 hours prior to their departure, as well as have a negative PCR test result, conducted 96 hours prior to their departure.

In order to strengthen the measures, the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine was initiated on February 1 with the government of Maldives set to provide free Covid-19 vaccines to all citizens and residents of the country in the upcoming months.