Face masks are not mandatory on all residential islands.

Health Protection Agency (HPA) publicized a guideline on face masks on Saturday, and while an earlier notice created confusion that masks were being made compulsory in all inhabited islands, the new one clarified it.

In the guideline issued on Saturday, HPA said that masks are mandatory in islands with a Covid-19 community spread, islands under monitoring as well as islands with operational guesthouses and airports. A total of 132 guesthouses, in 24 residential islands, have resumed operations since October 15.

HPA appealed to the public to wear face masks and practice social distancing rules, even if it is not mandatory. Masks have been compulsory in public in capital Male’ City since August.

Authorities introduced eases to Covid-19 safety measures from Friday, including shortening required quarantine period to 10 days.

Prior to that, individuals traveling to outlying islands from the capital, those traveling to islands from resorts, those traveling from islands with operational guesthouses as well as those arriving from abroad, were required to quarantine for 14 days.

The measures are part of the efforts to ensure that the virus does not spread among island communities.

While Maldives has confirmed 13,159 Covid-19 cases since March, there are currently 841 active cases including 31 in outlying islands, 52 in tourist establishments, 99 in islands under development and one in an industrial island. 738 of the active cases are in the capital region.