On Wednesday, a total of 7,378 persons received their Covid-19 vaccinations nationwide.

Latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) on Thursday evening revealed that this has pushed the total number of individuals who have received their first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to 287,171.

Further, a total of 62,586 individuals have been administered their second shots nationwide by the end of Wednesday.

Of Wednesday’s vaccinations, 1,609 individuals received first doses whereas 5,769 persons were administered their second doses nationwide.

352 Malé residents and 1,257 atolls residents received their first doses, whereas 2,957 Malé residents and 2,812 atoll residents received second doses across 240 vaccination centers in outlying atolls and from four mobile teams across 11 vaccination centers in the capital.

Vaccination centers are to be closed across the nation on Fridays during the ongoing fasting month of Ramadan. Further, HPA revealed that the vaccination center at Velana International Airport (VIA) will be open for all airport pass holders from 9pm to 11pm from Sundays to Thursday.

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. Second doses of the Sinopharm vaccines have now been opened for those who received their first doses between March 22 – 25.

5,500 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine allocated to the Maldives through the COVAX facility is also being 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. HPA has urged those who registered for the vaccine to turn up for their scheduled appointments as there is a limited stock of the Pfizer vaccines.

Recently, the public health authority publicized guidelines for travelling within residential islands without the need for quarantine, after receiving second Covid-19 vaccination doses.