760 residents received Covid-19 vaccinations on Friday

760 residents across the Maldives received Covid-19 vaccinations nationwide on Friday.

According to the latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), Friday's vaccinations included 182 first doses and 578 second doses, with no vaccinations carried out in Male' City.

Of the 760 vaccinations, 578 correspond to persons who were administered their second vaccination shots from 240 vaccination centers across atolls, while 182 persons received first doses of Covid-19 vaccines outside the capital on Friday.

Covid-19 vaccines were not administered across the capital region on Friday.

A total of 141,248 individuals have been administered their second shots nationwide by the end of Friday with a total of 302,688 people having received first doses nationwide thus far.

On Wednesday, Maldives approved the emergency use of Sputnik V Vaccine in its battle against Covid-19. Maldives is using the Oxford AstraZeneca Covishield vaccination, Sinopharm as well as Pfizer vaccines in its inoculation programme and the Russia-produced vaccine is the fourth addition to the list.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih launched the inoculation drive on February 1 with the Oxford AstraZeneca Covishield vaccinations produced by India’s Serum Institute. HPA began administering the second Covishield vaccination doses on April 3 and the second doses of Sinopharm are also being administered currently for those who have completed four weeks after receiving their first dose.

Healthcare authorities halted administering the India-sourced Covishield vaccinations at a time there have been reports that the Maldives is low on supply of Covishield vaccines. However, authorities have since revealed that they expect to receive a shipment of the Covishield vaccination soon, and that efforts are currently underway to procure further resources for the national Covid-19 vaccination drive.