The Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has stated that no arrangements have been made such that those who received COVID-19 vaccines from UAE do not have to undergo quarantine in the Maldives.
While the borders of many countries remain closed due to COVID-19, UAE is one of the few countries without travel restrictions. UAE has already commenced COVID-19 vaccine administration. A large number of Maldivians have been holidaying in UAE in recent days.
When asked if those who travel to the Maldives from UAE after having received COVID-19 vaccination are exempt from completing the mandatory quarantine period, HEOC’s Spokesperson, Dr. Nazla Rafeeq said no such decisions have been made, and that discussions are ongoing. The World Health Organization (WHO) does not have specific guidelines on granting eases with regard to quarantine for those who have received the vaccine.
Nazla noted that while the vaccine being administered in the UAE has not been approved by WHO, the effectiveness of the vaccine has not been confirmed. Therefore, no decisions have been made to ease quarantine rules for those who received the vaccine, said Nazla.
The vaccine being administered in UAE is a China-made vaccine. While all stages of testing have reached completion, the vaccine has been given to millions of people in China, and other countries.
