755 atoll residents vaccinated against Covid-19 on Friday
23 މެއި 2021 | އާދީއްތަ 10:18The national Covid-19 vaccination drive was launched on February 1
The national Covid-19 vaccination drive was launched on February 1
755 atoll residents received Covid-19 vaccinations across the Maldives on Friday.
According to the latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), Friday’s vaccinations included 82 first doses and 673 second doses, all of which were administered to individuals residing in outlying atolls, as vaccination centers across the Greater Malé Region are closed on Fridays.
A total of 153,946 individuals have been administered their second shots nationwide by the end of Friday with a total of 305,401 having received first doses nationwide thus far.
On May 12 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 “Covid-19 Dhifaau” vaccination drive.
Speaking to press earlier, Spokesperson for the President's Office Mabrook Azeez clarified that the Maldives had not requested Covid-19 vaccines from the state of Israel, at a time foreign media have reported that Israel plans to "donate" thousands of Moderna vaccine doses to a number of countries, including the Maldives.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih launched the inoculation drive on February 1 with the Oxford AstraZeneca Covishield vaccinations produced by India’s Serum Institute. After temporarily discontinuing the first round of vaccinations on March 15, the public health authorities resumed administering the first doses of vaccination on March 22 with the Sinopharm vaccination. 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 since receiving the first jab.
Healthcare authorities halted administering the India-sourced Covishield vaccinations at a time there have been reports that the Maldives is low on Covishield supply. However, authorities have since revealed that they expect to receive a shipment of the Covishield vaccination in the upcoming month, and that efforts are currently underway to procure supplies. Further, the first shipment of AstraZeneca vaccine doses procured through an agreement earlier, is also expected to be received in June.
Speaking to press on Tuesday night Mabrook revealed that a total of 940 doses of the India-sourced Covishield vaccination are currently in HEOC’s central stock. Further, 68,161 Sinopharm doses and 2,990 Pfizer doses remain in stock by the end of Tuesday as well.
