Ministry of Tourism Amends Guidelines on Quarantine Duration

Following the rise in the number of cases, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) published a circular in the Government of Maldives Gazette to revise the Quarantine/ Isolation period effective from 13th January 2022.

According to this publication, changes have been brought to the isolation period for those identified as a positive case of Covid-19 as well as the Quarantine duration for those identified as direct contacts.

Individuals who test positive for Covid-19 are now required to be in isolation for seven days from the date of sample collection. However, those who exhibit symptoms at the end of the isolation period are required to continue their isolation until 24 hours after symptoms have cleared. On the seventh day, a negative antigen test must be submitted for the isolation period to come to an end. This is applicable even if the individuals have not completed the prescribed doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Direct contacts who have completed the prescribed doses of vaccination have to undergo quarantine for a period of ten days from the date of sample collection and can be released without a PCR test if no symptoms are shown. However, the quarantine period may come to an end upon submission of a negative PCR done at the end of the fifth day. Individuals who have not completed the prescribed doses of a Covid-19 vaccine shall complete fourteen days of quarantine followed by a negative PCR test result at the end of this quarantine period.

During this past week, the total number of cases has risen up to more than 100,000.