2,961 persons receive Covid-19 vaccination on Saturday

2,961 persons were administered Covid-19 vaccinations nationwide on Saturday.

According to the latest statistics publicized by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), Saturday's vaccinations included 242 first doses and 2,719 second doses.

Of this, 133 persons received first doses and 355 persons were administered their second vaccination shots from four mobile teams across 11 vaccination centers across the Greater Malé Region. Saturday's vaccinations also include 109 atoll residents who received first doses and 2,364 residents across outlying atolls who received second vaccine doses from 240 vaccination centers.

A total of 130,886 individuals have been administered their second shots nationwide by the end of Saturday and a total of 300,906 persons have received first doses nationwide thus far.

Vaccination centers are to be closed across the nation on Fridays during the ongoing fasting month of Ramadan. The public health authority has urged residents to arrive early for vaccination as queues are observed to be particularly long during Ramadan. On Monday vaccinations will be carried out at the National Art Gallery, Tree Top Hospital and Vilimalé Youth Center from 9pm to 11pm. Authorities recently halted administering the Covishield vaccinations as thus, are using the Sinopharm vaccines currently.

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 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.