267 vaccinations were carried out across outlying atolls on Sunday, pushing the national Covid-19 vaccination total to 218,912.
According to the latest Covid-19 vaccination updates publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), all of Sunday’s vaccinations were conducted at 169 vaccination centers across atolls.
With this development, the total number of vaccination doses administered under the government’s national Covid-19 inoculation drive currently sits at 218,912, out of which 121,630 were in the Greater Malé Region and 97,282 across outlying atolls.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih initiated the national Covid-19 vaccination programme on February 1.
On March 15, authorities discontinued the inoculation programme across the Covid-19 epicenter Malé, however, the public health authority had revealed that vaccinations will continue for special groups, comprising of elderly persons, high-risk persons, those suffering from chronical illnesses and those who tested positive for the virus and are currently isolated, based on eligibility. The same procedure was to be followed for those who are currently quarantine after coming into contact with positive cases or after arriving in the Maldives after travelling abroad or from the capital city. Further, people who had to delay vaccination due to a medical condition or other health complications are eligible to receive their first dose of the vaccination after the deadline.
On Monday, the public health authority started the second round of vaccinations with the Sinopharm vaccine, for everyone above 18 years of age who were unable to get their shots in the first round.
According to HPA, they will begin administering the second doses of Covishield during May or April at the earliest.
After the public health authority announced the discontinuation of Covid-19 vaccination, long queues were observed outside vaccination centers across the populous capital city.
The Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) earlier stressed the importance of vaccinating in order to build herd-immunity against Covid-19 within Maldivian communities as this would be the only way Covid-19 health and safety restrictions could be eased across the country.
Neighboring India donated 100,000 Covishield doses to the Maldives during January, followed by another consignment of 100,000 vaccination doses during External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar’s visit to the island nation in February. The government has since signed an agreement with Serum Institute of India and the Serum Institute of Life Sciences to purchase 300,000 more vaccination doses.
Further, Maldives also signed an agreement with Singapore’s AstraZeneca Company to purchase 700,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccination in December 2020. Details of the shipment’s arrival have not been confirmed by the authorities yet.
