Maldives has introduced restrictions on vehicle movement across the Greater Malé Region as part of efforts to strengthen Covid-19 measures nationwide.
This comes after discussions within government officials to boost the measures and precautions set against Covid-19, as the caseload has been spiraling uncontrollably for over a week.
The reveal was made by the Spokesperson at the President’s Office, Mabrook Aziz who took part in the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC)’s press briefing on Monday night.
The measures will be effective from May 5 – 15, said Mabrook.
The restrictions to be implemented across the country from Wednesday onwards include:
- A ban on vehicle movement from 12am to 4am
- Halting physical classes at schools and conducting online sessions instead – O’Level and A’Level examinations will proceed as planned –
- Closing down government offices and state institutions – employees will work from home –
- Halting sports activities and competitions in the Greater Malé Region
- Closing off parks, open spaces, sports grounds, running tracks and swimming tracks in Greater Malé Region
- Mandating those visiting mosques for prayer to wear face masks, bring their own prayer mats and follow social distancing guidelines
- Suspending the travel ease after completion of vaccination, which was allowed earlier
- Mandating Maldivians and work permit holders traveling from India to undergo a 14-day quarantine period -they will only be released after presenting a negative PCR test result-
- Restricting trave to industrial islands other than for essential purposes -approval is required before travel-
- Restricting travel to residential islands from industrial islands, those travelling are required to observe a 10-day quarantine period
- Restricting travel to residential islands for non-essential purposes – approval required –
- Mandating those travelling from Malé City to residential islands to undergo the mandatory 10-day quarantine period
Announcing the strengthened measures, Mabrook revealed that they will be monitoring the situation closely and that additional measures will be followed, if required.
In mid-April authorities allowed the public to travel without the need to undergo the mandatory quarantine period, if they have completed two doses of Covid-19 vaccination. This was allowed from 20 April, to islands where 60 percent of the population has been vaccinated and travelers were required to have completed the second dose two weeks prior.
