Covid-19: 99 percent of resort workers receive first vaccine doses

99 percent of workers employed in the Maldives tourism industry have received first doses of the vaccination against the global Covid-19 pandemic.

This was revealed by the Minister of Tourism, Dr. Abdulla Mausoom during the inauguration ceremony for the “I'm Vaccinated” campaign launched in collaboration with the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC).

The minister noted that 99 percent of tourism industry workers have been administered their first Covid-19 vaccination doses, whereas 8,000 employees have received second shots.

According to the latest statistics publicized by the tourism ministry, 39,642 tourism frontline workers had been inoculated against Covid-19 by Wednesday.

As such, 38,890 resort workers, 306 guesthouse employees, 220 workers in liveaboard vessels, 70 in hotels, 64 performing arts in resorts, 24 in the travel agencies, and 67 staff members at the tourism ministry have been vaccinated thus far.

Authorities launched the Covid-19 inoculation drive for tourism industry workers on 4 February 2021 and the tourism ministry had in mid-April, allowed resort workers to travel to residential islands after completing both vaccination doses. Priority is being given to vaccinate tourism sector employees who come in close contact with tourists, such as those working on liveaboard vessels, guesthouse employees and those performing guest service roles at various tourist establishments.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) gave the green light for resort workers to travel to residential islands without the requirement to quarantine, if they have completed two weeks after their second Covid-19 vaccination shot. However, terms and conditions apply.

This comes after the public health authority introduced eases for travel restrictions implemented nationwide.

A directive signed by the Director-General of Public Health Maimoona Aboobakuru reads that individuals will be allowed to travel within residential islands where over 60 percent of the entire population has been vaccinated against Covid-19, without the need to quarantine.

Individuals who have received both shots of the Covid-19 vaccination have been allowed to travel without quarantine, from April 20. However, they must ensure that two weeks have passed since receiving their second vaccination shot.

HPA revealed that those who travel to islands where the positive case count percentage is over five, will be required to present negative PCR test results.

At a time the minister had asserted that the tourism industry is expected to recover and equalize suitably during July, tourist arrivals being reported so far this ongoing year have been steadily increasing. Maldives tourism took a hard hit due to the pandemic and the tourism-revival journey was slow into the beginning since borders reopened during July 2020.

The Maldives has been making steady efforts to resuscitate tourism across the island nation, and has begun large-scale Covid-19 vaccination programmes for airport workers and tourism sector employees as well.

The "I'm Vaccinated" campaign was launched with an aim to share a positive message regarding vaccinations of staff employed in the industry as well as promoting initiatives taken to ensure the Maldives remains one of the safest travel destinations.

The ministry aims to make Maldives the first fully-vaccinated tourism sector globally. The stringent health and safety guidelines currently in place will pave way for this target to be reached, in addition to the added advantage of Maldives' unique formation which ensures social distancing.