Maldives is to stop administering first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from September.

During a press conference on Thursday evening, Spokesperson at the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC), Dr. Nazla Rafeeq revealed that the doses of AstraZeneca vaccine Maldives has received and is currently administering, will expire in November.

With this being said and as vaccination has limited shelf life of just six months since manufactured date, Dr. Nazla noted that they will conclude administering first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine by September 1.

Dr. Nazla said that they currently have the capacity to conclude first doses to the eligible population by the beginning of September, noting that 4,492 first doses have been given so far, of the AstraZeneca vaccine since June.

She added that the number of people who have received AstraZeneca as their second doses after getting the first shot of Covishield, currently sits at 12,243.

Further expressing concern over the recent low turnout at vaccination centers, Dr. Nazla urged the citizens to cooperate and get their vaccine jabs.

While it has been revealed that the Maldives AstraZeneca supply will expire by November, a waiting period of two months or eight weeks are mandatory before second shots can be administered.

Dr. Nazla also revealed that they aim to vaccinate 95 percent of those above 18 years of age as well as school employees through the vaccination coverage, by the beginning of September, under the Education Ministry’s campaign to vaccinate the education sector employees and students.