Health Protection Agency HPA has set a COVID sample collection site at the FAM building in Male' amid huge demand for PCR testing following new travel restrictions announced by the agency.
Yesterday, HPA had said due to the rising number of COVID cases in the capital city, those traveling from the Greater Male' Area must submit a negative PCR result starting today.
This prompted many to rush to the sample collections sites in the capital as many have made travel plans due to the ongoing school break.
Huge queues were seen outside the sample collection site at the Social Center in Male' last night and earlier this morning.
Today, HPA announced that it had established a new sample collection site at the FAM building and that it would be collecting samples from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm every day.
HPA had also said that it had moved the sample collection site at the Social Center to the nearby Thaajudeen School and that it would be collecting samples starting 3:00 pm today.
Many on social media have criticized HPA following its abrupt travel restrictions that disrupted the travel plans of many.
But HPA had last night announced that it would allow two options of PCR testing for those traveling from the capital in the next two days. This includes taking the sample before traveling and staying under quarantine till the result is released or traveling first and then giving the sample for the PCR test while under quarantine.
