Health professionals set a new record for daily Covid-19 vaccinations on Wednesday as 9,781 people were vaccinated across the nation, pushing Maldives' vaccination total past the 175,000-mark.
The latest vaccination update by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) confirms that a total of 9,781 people were vaccinated against Covid-19 in Maldives on Wednesday. This is the highest number of vaccinations conducted by health workers across the island nation since the beginning of the national Covid-19 vaccination programme in February.
Of Wednesday's 9,781 vaccinations, 5,322 vaccinations were conducted across atolls with an additional 4,459 vaccinations conducted in the Greater Male' area. Health authorities have announced they will discontinue administering the first doses of the Covishield vaccine on 15 March, and members of the public are strongly advised to attend vaccination centers to receive the shot within the deadline.
With this, the total number of vaccinations administered across Maldives currently sits at 175,456. The total count includes 99,821 vaccinations conducted across the capital region and 75,635 persons administered Covishield vaccines across atolls nationwide.
On Tuesday morning, HPA confirmed the passing of a 45-year-old local man, who was administered his first dose of the Covishield vaccine as produced by India's Serum institute one day prior. As per policy, a full investigation has been launched into the case, with health authorities noting that deaths of vaccinated persons do not necessarily have to be linked to the vaccines itself.
Vaccinations are currently open for all those above the age of 18 years of age living in the Greater Malé Region, in addition to high-risk groups over the age of 18, and caretakers of elderly or chronically ill bedridden patients. Spokesperson for the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) Dr. Nazla Rafeeq has stressed the importance of vaccinating in order to build herd-immunity against Covid-19 within Maldivian communities, adding that this would be the only way Covid-19 health and safety restrictions could be eased across the country.
