Over 300,000 persons receive first doses of Covid-19 vaccines by Wednesday's end

A total of 300,189 individuals have received first doses of the Covid-19 vaccination under the government’s “Covid-19 Dhifaau” inoculation drive by Wednesday’s end.

According to the latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) late Thursday, Covid-19 vaccination shots were administered to a total of 4,845 persons on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s vaccinations included 782 first doses and 4,063 second doses.

Of this, 325 persons received first doses and 488 persons were administered their second vaccination shots from four mobile teams across 11 vaccination centers across the Greater Malé Region. Wednesday’s vaccinations also include 457 atoll residents who received first doses and 3,575 residents across outlying atolls who received second vaccine doses from 240 vaccination centers.

A total of 123,581 individuals have been administered their second shots nationwide by the end of Wednesday.

Vaccination centers are to be closed across the nation on Fridays during the ongoing fasting month of Ramadan.

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 with the Sinopharm vaccination. HPA began administering the second Covishield vaccination doses on April 3 and the second doses of Sinopharm are also being administered currently for those who have completed four weeks since receiving the first jab.

Maldives is using the Oxford AstraZeneca Covishield vaccination, Sinopharm as well as Pfizer vaccines in its inoculation programme.

Healthcare authorities halted administering the India-sourced Covishield vaccinations on Tuesday, at a time there have been reports that the Maldives is low on Covishield supply. However, authorities have since revealed that they expect to receive a shipment of the Covishield vaccination within a fortnight, and that efforts are currently underway to procure supplies.