More than 16 percent of resort workers receive booster shots against Covid-19

More resort workers have received booster doses against Covid-19.

The Ministry of Tourism through its latest weekly figures, revealed that the percentage of resort workers to have received their booster shots had been pushed to 16.6 percent by the end of January.

Statistics also showed that 98 percent of individuals employed in resorts of the Maldives tourism industry were fully vaccinated against coronavirus by the beginning of February.

Further, 99.5 percent of resort workers have received first doses of Covid-19 vaccination so far.

Authorities launched the Covid-19 inoculation drive for tourism industry workers on 4 February 2021.

Priority is given to vaccinate tourism sector employees who come in close contact with tourists, such as those working on liveaboard vessels, guesthouse employees and those performing guest service roles at various tourist establishments.

The Maldives has been making steady efforts to resuscitate tourism across the island nation, and began a large-scale Covid-19 vaccination programme for airport workers and tourism sector employees as well.

The ministry revealed that 0.19 percent of tourists that arrived in the Maldives between 15 July – 31 December 2020 had tested positive for the virus, whereas the positivity rate among tourists between 1 January – 31 December 2021 was at 0.30 percent. The rate hiked to 0.64 percent between January 1 to February 2 this year.

The booster doses were rolled out for tourism sector frontliners in association with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) very recently.

Earlier the ministry launched the "I'm Vaccinated" campaign with an aim to share a positive message regarding vaccinations of staff employed in the industry as well as promoting initiatives taken to ensure the Maldives remains one of the safest travel destinations.

The ministry aims to make Maldives the first fully-vaccinated tourism sector globally. The stringent health and safety guidelines currently in place will pave way for this target to be reached, in addition to the added advantage of Maldives' unique formation which ensures social distancing.

Maldives tourism took a hard hit due to the pandemic and the tourism-revival journey was slow into the beginning since borders reopened on 15 July 2020.

Vaccination figures nationwide have begun increasing at a time the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has also begun administering booster doses for those at high risk of complications from the virus.