Covid-19: 2,434 vaccinations conducted nationwide on Saturday

2,434 people have been administered Covid-19 vaccines across the Maldives on Saturday.

According to the latest Covid-19 vaccination updates publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), a total of 2,434 persons were administered their first doses of the Covid-19 vaccination across the Maldives from 6pm Friday to 6pm Saturday.

1,016 of Saturday's vaccination total was from the Greater Male' area, with an additional 1,418 vaccinations conducted across different atolls of the Maldives. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih initiated the national Covid-19 vaccination drive on 1 February 2021.

With this, a total of 230,130 people have received their first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in Maldives thus far. This includes 128,293 vaccinations conducted in the capital region, and 101,837 vaccinations performed across different atolls.

Health authorities has now initiated the second round of vaccinations with the Sinopharm vaccine produced by Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products of China, for those between 18 and 60 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. The second dosages for the Sinopharm vaccinations will be given after three to four weeks following the first dose. Two vaccination shots of the same type are required to effectively build immunity against the potentially fatal Covid-19 infection. The Director General of Public Health, Maimoona Aboobakuru has hinted that Covid-19 restrictions across the capital could be eased in time for the fasting month of Ramazan which begins two weeks into April.

After having received 200,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine from India earlier, the Maldivian government has signed an agreement with Serum Institute of India and the Serum Institute of Life Sciences to purchase an additional 300,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine.

On Thursday, Maldives received a consignment of 100,000 Sinopharm vaccines, with the first of two batches totaling 200,000 doses donated by the government of China to amp up the country’s vaccination efforts. The second batch of the donation is expected to arrive in the Maldives on March 30.

Further, the Ministry of Health has also signed an as-yet undisclosed agreement with Singapore's AstraZeneca Company to purchase 700,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccination, details of which have not been confirmed by authorities as of now.