1,159 persons received vaccination doses under the government's "Covid-19 Dhifaau" inoculation drive on Friday.
Latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) reveal that Friday’s doses included 1,080 second doses and 79 first doses.
All of the doses were administered to residents of outlying atolls as vaccination centers across the capital Greater Malé Region are closed on Fridays.
With this development, the total number of persons who have received first doses nationwide currently sits at 392,966, with the total number of persons who have received second doses currently sitting at 345,203.
This means that 47,763 persons are currently awaiting second doses of the Covid-19 vaccination.
There are currently three mobile teams across six vaccination centers in the capital region, as well as 176 vaccination centers spanning outlying atolls.
The incumbent administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih launched the “Covid-19 Dhifaau” inoculation drive on February 1.
On Thursday the government announced that booster shots of the Covid-19 vaccination will be administered to immunocompromised persons, seniors and frontline workers from Sunday onwards. This decision stems from recommendations from the Maldives Technical Advisory Group on Immunization. Pfizer will be administered as booster doses to those who have passed six months since completing second dose of the vaccination.
HPA announced restrictions for unvaccinated persons from September 1 earlier, however, it has since been revealed that the implementation of the restrictions will be delayed, as the government is currently working on launching an adequate application through which unvaccinated persons may be tracked and monitored.
Restrictions that unvaccinated persons will be facing include a ban on domestic travel and disallowing tourists to check in to guesthouses if they are unvaccinated. Further, civil servants who have not been vaccinated yet will also be required to present negative PCR test results every 14 days.
Authorities continue to urge the public to receive their vaccination shots, in order to help curb complications from the virus.
