272 Covid-19 vaccination doses administered on Saturday

272 vaccination doses were administered under the government's "Covid-19 Dhifaau" inoculation drive on Saturday.

Latest figures publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that 272 vaccination doses were administered, including 26 first doses and 246 second doses.

HPA administered vaccination doses to 103 more Greater Malé residents as well as 169 persons residing across atolls on Saturday.

16 Greater Malé residents and 10 atoll residents received their first doses, with the second doses administered to 87 capital region residents and 159 persons residing in atolls.

By Saturday’s end the total number of persons who have completed both doses of the vaccine rose to 359,394. 394,801 persons have received first doses nationwide as well.

With this development, the total number of persons awaiting second doses of the Covid-19 vaccination nationwide dropped further to 35,407.

There are currently three mobile teams across six vaccination centers in the capital region, as well as 176 vaccination centers spanning outlying atolls.

Currently, vaccination centers are open across Senahiya, Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, ADK Hospital, Hulhumalé Hospital, Villimalé as well as Dhamanaveshi. Authorities are administering Sinopharm, AstraZeneca and Pfizer at present. Those seeking Pfizer doses may attend vaccination centers in ADK Hospital, Hulhumalé Hospital and IGMH, whereas AstraZeneca doses will be administered at Dhamanaveshi, Hulhumalé Hospital, IGMH, Senahiya and Villimalé, with Sinopharm vaccination made available only at Senahiya.

The incumbent administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih launched the “Covid-19 Dhifaau” inoculation drive on February 1.

The government announced that booster shots of the Covid-19 vaccination will be administered to immunocompromised persons, seniors and frontline workers. 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 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.