Health professionals vaccinated a total of 1,506 people across the Maldives against Covid-19 on Friday, pushing the nations vaccination total up to 188,436.

The latest vaccination update by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) confirms that while no vaccinations were conducted in the Greater Male' area on Friday, 1,506 vaccinations were performed from 169 vaccination centers across atolls. With this, the Maldives vaccination total is now 188,436. This includes 105,836 people vaccinated in the Male' region and 82,600 vaccinations conducted across atolls.

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. Long queues are popping up along vaccination centers as final deadline for administering first dose draws near. Authorities have assured that certain high-risk groups will still be able to receive their first dose once the deadline closes.

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.