COVID-19 Procedures and Protocols
BIDVEST SONEVA 2021 MALDIVES
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Although the ‘New Normal’ will likely forever be different from the life we enjoyed before COVID-19, the Maldives as a country has remained extremely fortunate as its 1,200 islands have provided a natural defense against the spread of the disease. Whilst no country in the world has been spared misfortune during the pandemic, the Maldives’ Government’s ‘One Island, One Resort’ policy has served them well thus far and due to continued swift and effective action, the country has been able to successfully contain the spread of the virus, mainly through extensive testing and a significant increase in the capacity of its hospitals.
Soneva’s goal is to make their private islands COVID-19 free environments so that all guests can truly relax and feel comfortable.
To enhance their guests’ safety and comfort, Soneva itself invested in and purchased a “Life Cycler 96” testing machine from Roche, and they built a COVID-19 laboratory at the Maafaru International Airport, in association with ADK Hospital, to facilitate safe, faster, and convenient testing of their guests. Whilst this could be considered as being slightly excessive or over-cautious, it is Soneva’s goal to make their private islands COVID-19 free environments, so that all guests can truly relax and not feel any concern about the risk of infection, and hence Bidvest’s decision to partner with Soneva for our 2021 Incentive.
To ensure the highest standards of safety and wellness for all Soneva guests, the following strict procedures and protocols have been put in place. These protocols follow best practices recommended by the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) as well as Soneva’s direct and numerous consultations with leading experts in both virology and infectious diseases in the United States, Singapore, India, and the United Kingdom.
Prior to departure to the Maldives:
- We respectfully request that you limit your social gatherings and external contact in the three days prior to departure, as an added precautionary measure.
- A suitable face protection mask will be required for all parts of your journey until you are declared Covid-negative on the Resort. In line with several international airline mandates, and for your own added safety, it is strongly suggested that you do not travel with fabric masks, but rather opt for surgical masks, FFP2 or FFP3 respirator masks without a valve or other valve free masks with the same standard (N95).
- In accordance with the health requirements of the Maldives Government, all guests traveling to the Maldives are required to submit the online Traveller Health Declaration form 24 hours prior to their departure to and from the Maldives. This documentation will be made available to you on this registration site prior to your departure.
- ALL inbound visitors, including those who have completed the prescribed dose(s) of Covid-19 vaccines and recovered from Covid-19, should hold a negative PCR test result for a sample taken at most 96 (ninety-six) hours before departure from the first point of departure/embarkation. Further information in this regard will be provided nearer to the date of departure.
On arrival in the Maldives:
- All Soneva and Bidtravel Arrival and Transfer Hosts will be wearing masks, disposable gloves and will follow the highest standards of hygiene.
- PCR testing and screening procedures will take place on your arrival in the Maldives.
- All guest luggage will be transferred separately from the airport to the Resort and will be thoroughly sanitized before it reaches your Villa.
- All vehicles (both land and watercraft) used by Soneva for airport transfers will be operated with the windows down, and they are thoroughly sanitized after every trip.
- The guest villas are exhaustively sanitized/disinfected and are thoroughly cleaned before and after every check-in and check-out.
- On arrival at the Resort, you will be escorted to your Villa where we request you to remain for the evening. Please settle in, relax, and enjoy the unique and exquisite surroundings for the duration of the evening until your PCR test results are received.
- Dinner will be served in-villa on this first night, by your personal 24-hour Butler, so that you do not have to leave your secure environment.
- We request that you only remove your mask once you are within the privacy of your bedroom.
Prior to departure from the Maldives:
- PCR testing will again be conducted by Soneva to all guests on the Island, and certification of the status of your test provided on departure so that you have such available for airport procedures on departure and returning home.
- In the highly unlikely event that you test positive for COVID on arrival in the Maldives, we have facilities in place for your immediate isolation and quarantine for 14 days, in line with the Maldivian Health Protection Agency (HPA) requirements, at no personal cost to yourself.
- Soneva’s resort-based medical team have been trained to look after COVID-19 positive guests and observe them if there are no serious complications.
- Again, in the very unlikely event that any guest should develop severe symptoms and must be hospitalised, the Maldives has built up sufficient hospital and medical capacity to treat COVID-19 effectively. The hospital on Eydhafushi (Soneva Fushi’s neighbouring island), only 10 minutes away by speedboat, has a new ICU unit.
- Government regulations worldwide do not permit air transportation of passengers who are Covid-19 positive. Further, our charter and commercial partners do not accept COVID-19 positive travellers as it exposes their own staff to the virus, as well as the charter partner being levied significant penalties should they land back in South Africa or the United Kingdom having transported COVID-19 positive travellers.
*Please do note that all information provided is current and is subject to alteration at any time.
Any such changes will be conveyed as soon as possible.