President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Sunday evening announced his decision to lift the state of public health emergency in force since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. After consulting with public health experts, the President made the announcement in a televised address to the nation, lifting the state of public health emergency declared two years ago on March 12, 2020.
Maldives has further eased the restrictions implemented in regards to the Covid-19 pandemic including:
- Face masks are no longer mandatory. However, the public will be required to wear a mask where healthcare services are being provided.
- Citizens of any island or region with a positivity rate higher than 20% are also required to wear a mask.
- No PCR test will be required for any travels in and out of Maldives even if travelers have not completed their vaccinations
These changes were announced by Dr. Nazla Rafeeg during a press conference held yesterday evening. Dr. Nazla further advised that masks are highly recommended for high-risk individuals and symptomatic individuals. These changes were brought after monitoring the covid situation in Maldives.
Following the lifting of the public health emergency, President Solih said the Ministry of Health would announce the way forward, including measures to monitor and keep the spread of the coronavirus in check. The ministry would also draw up and implement a national strategy and action plan as part of its Covid-19 response.
President Solih also shed light on the socio-economic setbacks the Maldives has faced over the past two years. He attributed Maldives’ success in controlling the spread of the coronavirus to the general public’s and private parties’ full cooperation and support for the administration’s preventative measures.
The President estimated the Maldives’ economy incurred approximately MVR 71.3 billion in losses due to the pandemic. Emphasising that our international partners, global organisations and neighbouring countries played a pivotal role in the Maldives’ overcoming the situation, President Solih went on to express his profound gratitude for the concerted effort by everyone to alleviate the people’s burdens during this trying time.
