The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced conditional easing for travel restrictions imposed across the Maldives, with residents no longer required to quarantine following complete Covid-19 vaccination.

HPA revealed that beginning 20 April 2021, travel to islands with 60 percent total vaccinations will be possible without quarantine, for fully vaccinated citizens, after two weeks have passed from their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Those traveling from islands with more than 5 percent transmission of Covid-19 will be require a negative PCR test result, in addition to those who are ineligible to receive vaccines.

In addition to this, fully vaccinated international visitors to the Maldives will be able to travel without PCR testing if two weeks have passed since they received second doses of Covid-19 vaccines. However, those voting at health centers, schools and residential care services can only enter the Maldives with a negative PCR testing, or will be required to perform a PCR test following their arrival to the country.

The eases in travel restrictions will also be applicable for resort workers beginning 20 April 2021.

Under the revised regulations, the HPA will be maintaining a list of islands that have reached 60 percent vaccinations for resident populations, along with a list of islands with less than and greater than 5 percent recorded in Covid-19 transmissions.

The HPA recently extended operational hours for vaccination centers in the Greater Male' area due to long queues. The most recent vaccination update, as of Wednesday, reveals that a total of 274,782 residents have been vaccinated against Covid-19, including a total of 228,970 people who received their second doses of the vaccines.