Originally Posted by
CkScotland
Looking through the 2nd, 3rd and 4th circulars on the above link it looks like there are some positive changes! If you have an asymptomatic positive case, isolation has been reduced to 7 days with a negative test on day 7. Close contact isolation has been reduced to 10 days but you can retest at 5 days and be released with a negative test.
Good spot.
I'm reading the second circular (dated 2 Feb) even more positively as it removes quarantine period (set out in the 13 Jan circular) if you're fully vaccinated / boosted:
a) Individual(s) who have been identified as a direct contact of a positive case but asymptomatic, are NOT required to observe a quarantine period. However, if symptomatic the individual shall undertake a PCR test or a Rapid Antigen Test for Covid -19 and can ONLY be released upon receiving a negative test resultb) Regardless of the ease mentioned in(a),ALL individual(s) who are identified as a direct contact of a positive case are required to undertake an additional PCR test after 05 (five) days from the date of last contact with the said positive case.
So, if you're fully vaccinated and boosted:
- asymptomatic = no immediate test or quarantine if asymptomatic. You have to do a PCR test after 5 days.
- symptomatic, but negative test = quarantine only until you get the negative result (which can be an antigen test). You have to do a PCR test after 5 days.
- otherwise quarantine
The language in the documents has also changed from "
close" contact to "
direct" contact. Reading the Maldives Guideline for nCoV CONTACT TRACING PUBLIC HEALTH UNITS (sorry, not allowed to post a link as I'm a new poster) "direct" appears to mean "direct body contact".
The 2nd Feb circular also suggests that you can choose to quarantine with a positive case - so less rooms needed.