Covid-19: 8,568 persons inoculated by Monday's end

On Monday, a total of 8,568 individuals were vaccinated against the global Covid-19 pandemic, across Maldives.

According to the latest Covid-19 vaccination updates publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 2,208 persons received their first Covid-19 vaccination doses, whereas 6,361 individuals were administered their second doses between 6pm Sunday and 6pm Monday.

Of the over 2,000 first doses administered on Monday, 412 were in the Greater Malé Region and 1,795 were across outlying atolls.

273,660 individuals have received first doses nationwide so far.

1,136 atoll residents received their second shots across 240 vaccination centers in outlying atolls and 5,225 Malé residents were administered their second doses from four mobile teams across 11 vaccination centers in the capital.

A total of 25,369 persons have received their second Covid-19 vaccination jabs.

Last week, the Health Protection Agency revealed that about 57 percent of the total eligible population in the Maldives had received their first Covid-19 vaccination shot.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih launched the “Covid-19 Dhifaau” inoculation drive on February 1 with the Oxford AstraZeneca Covishield vaccinations produced by India’s Serum Institute. After temporarily discontinuing the first round of vaccinations on March 15, the public health authorities resumed administering the first doses of vaccination on March 22. HPA has since begun administering the second Covid-19 vaccination doses on April 3.

The second shots for the Sinopharm vaccinations will be given after three to four weeks following the first dose. HPA commenced the second round of vaccinations with the Sinopharm vaccine produced by Beijing Bio-Institute of Biological Products of China, for everyone above 18 years of age and below 60, who were unable to get their shots in the first round.

Vaccination centers are closed across the nation on Tuesday, as the day marks the first day of the fasting month of Ramadan 1442.

Earlier this year, neighboring India donated 200,000 Covishield doses to the Maldives after which Maldives signed an agreement to purchase 300,000 more Covishield doses from Serum Institute of India and the Serum Institute of Life Sciences, the first consignment of which arrived in late March. During March, Maldives received a consignment of 200,000 Sinopharm doses donated by the government of China to boost the country’s vaccination efforts.

5,500 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine allocated to the Maldives through the COVAX facility will also be administered to special groups, such as children aged 16 and 17, along with adults over 60 on long term medication for chronic illnesses. Adults between 18 and 60 who have undergone an organ transplant, require regular dialysis, have cancer and are on chemotherapy or radiotherapy, along with patients who require immunosuppressant drugs and have been on long term steroid medication will be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine.