Passengers disembark from a Qatar Airways flight at Velana International Airport on July 15, 2020. (Sun Photo/Fayaz Moosa)

Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced its decision to mandate PCR testing to all inbound travelers to the Maldives – including locals and work permit holders.

In a statement released tonight, HPA said that they have decided to implement additional measures as the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, is widely spreading across the world.

On this note, the first measure announced is to mandate PCR tests for all inbound travelers to the Maldives – requiring them to present a negative PCR test taken 96 hours prior to departure from the first port of embarkation. Toddlers who are below the age of 1 will be exempt from this rule.

In addition to this, all inbound travelers except tourists will be required to take a PCR test within three to five days after their arrival to the Maldives. This is applicable to locals and work permit holders.

Locals and work permit holders who have not completed the recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be mandated to undergo a quarantine period of 14 days. They will be released from quarantine if the PCR test taken following the 14 days is negative. Children below the age of 12 will be exempt from this rule.

Maldives has confirmed a total of five Omicron cases so far.