The Maldives Covid-19 vaccination total has surpassed the 200,000 mark on Sunday, one and a half months after President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih initiated the national Covid-19 vaccination programme "Covid-19 Dhifaau" on 1 February 2021.

Health professionals vaccinated a total of 7,908 people across the Maldives against Covid-19 on Sunday, pushing the nations vaccination total up to 206,114.

The latest vaccination update by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) confirms that 7,908 vaccinations were conducted across the Maldives on Sunday. This includes 4,941 vaccinations conducted in the Greater Male' area, in addition to 2,967 vaccinations performed across atolls.

With this, the island nation's vaccination total has surpassed the 200,000-mark and is now 206,114, which includes 116,636 vaccinations performed in the capital of Male', and a total of 89,478 vaccines administered from outlying atolls.

While health authorities have announced they will discontinue administering the first doses of the Covishield vaccine on 15 March, elderly and high-risk persons will still be administered their first dose once the deadline closes.

In addition to this, people who tested positive for Covid-19 and are currently isolated will be vaccinated based on eligibility after the close of the deadline, with the same procedure reserved for those who are observing quarantine after coming into contact with positive cases. Further, people in quarantine after arriving in Maldives from abroad, or after travelling from Male', will also be administered their first dose of the vaccine after Monday. Lastly, people who had to delay vaccination due to a medical condition or other health reasons will also be eligible to receive their first dose of the vaccine after 15 March.

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, on multiple occasions, 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 restrictions to control the infection could be eased across the country.