Health Protection Agency HPA says it is not mandatory to get the COVID-19 vaccine in the Maldives as authorities prepare to begin the much-awaited inoculation program.
In its FAQ about the COVID vaccination drive, HPA said that it would not make the vaccine compulsory for the citizens of Maldives. It said that although vaccination is not compulsory, it would help with the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
HPA said that even if a small amount of the population is vaccinated against the pandemic, it would in turn make it easier for the whole country to go back to a pre-COVID state.
HPA added that vaccinating oneself against the COVID virus would make an individual more resilient towards the illness and that the chances of the person transmitting the illness to a high-risk patient would fall dramatically.
The Agency had said that in the Maldives, children below 16 years of age would not be vaccinated against COVID as the current vaccines being used have not been tested on young subjects.
HPA also said that many who get vaccinated would experience some adverse side effects after getting the vaccine but insisted that this is largely due to the fact that the body is preparing its defenses against the COVID virus.
Authorities in the Maldives are preparing for the vaccination program after receive 100,000 doses of the Covidsheild vaccine from India last week. The vaccine developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca has a high effective rate but requires two doses for complete immunization against COVID-19.
