Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) has announced unvaccinated individuals would be required to pay for the PCR tests done for release from quarantine, starting from September 1.
Speaking at a press conference, Spokesperson of HEOC Dr. Fathimath Nazla Rafeeq said some changes are being brought to the travel guidelines for individuals eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. As such, she said the unvaccinated individuals undergoing quarantine during travel would be required to pay for their PCR tests taken for release from quarantine, effective from September 1. She said the rule is being enforced to encourage more people to get vaccinated.
Meanwhile, HEOC has announced more eased measures for vaccinated individuals travelling between islands. As such, vaccinated individuals would no longer be required to take a PCR test before travelling from islands where COVID-19 positivity rate is below 5% and the vaccine coverage is above 90%.
As per the latest update by Health Protection Agency (HPA), over 327,000 people have completed the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while over 280,000 people have completed both doses. The government has set the target of vaccinating 90% of the population eligible for vaccination by the end of this month.