The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has revealed that Maldives is expecting to receive a supply of the Oxford AstraZeneca Covishield vaccination within a fortnight.

Announcing that efforts to procure supply of Covishield doses are underway, HPA revealed that Maldives is facing difficulties in acquiring a shipment of Covishield doses much like other countries, as the situation surrounding the global Covid-19 pandemic worsens nationwide.

On Tuesday the public health authority revealed that they have temporarily halted administering Covishield doses, until the next batch of vaccination doses arrive.

There have been reports that the India-sourced vaccine has run low in stock in the island nation, however, the health authorities have denied these claims.

HPA’s statement reveals that Maldives expects to receive the 700,000 AstraZeneca doses sought through an agreement signed in December 2020, will be shipped in June.

Maldives has received 100,000 doses out of the 300,000 Covishield doses paid for under an agreement with the Serum Institute of India.

Although Covishield vaccinations have been halted, it will be administered in emergency situations and special circumstances.

Neighboring India is currently driving through a devastating peak of Covid-19, as the death toll continues to increase.

Maldives is using the Sinopharm vaccine and Pfizer vaccine alongside the Covishield vaccination in it’s national Covid-19 inoculation drive titled “Covid-19 Dhifaau”.