Maldives aims to complete first dose for all children eligible for Covid-19 vaccination, this month

While authorities recently approved Pfizer vaccine for children aged 12 to 17, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that the government's aim is to complete first doses for the age group by the end of August.

The president made the announcement at the special assembly held by Renedhi School on Tuesday morning, to mark the start of the new academic year.

Noting that this new normal with schools reopening for physical classes can only be maintained by vaccinating the entire eligible population, Solih stressed that immunization is the "best safeguard" against the virus.

While all education sector employees have been asked to complete both doses of vaccine by mid-August, the all teachers, students and parents to adhere to the guidelines by the education ministry in order to avoid another interruption to students’ education.

Authorities revealed the decision to administer Pfizer vaccine doses to children last week, with a campaign to be conducted together with the education ministry; this campaign will also include increasing awareness to the dangers of Covid-19 to encourage parents to get their children vaccinated.

The ministry's Director General Fathmath Azza has confirmed the start of this campaign, adding that children can only be given the vaccine doses if the parents and children have no objections.

While a campaign to vaccinate all teachers is also ongoing, Azza said that 96 percent of the educators across the country have received a first vaccine dose. She added that most have completed both doses. The ministry asks those that cannot get the vaccine for various reasons, to notify then with a letter from the Health Protection Agency.

Further, while there have bene reports those teachers that do not complete vaccination are to be fired, the ministry denied this on Tuesday.

Ministry's Permament Secretary Ahmed Ali said that the ministry has not issued any such orders despite announcing that unvaccinated personnel will not be allowed inside school premises from September 1. Ali said this notice is for those eligible to get vaccine doses and have not done so, adding that there could be various reasons why a person is not able to get the vaccine shots.