Health Protection Agency HPA has confirmed that a total of 6,170 people received the first dose of the COVID vaccine on Monday in the Maldives.
HPA said that this includes 2,186 from the Greater Male' Area and 3,984 from the Atolls.
HPA also said that this takes the total number of individuals vaccinated with the first dose to a promising 157,813. This includes 91,279 from the Greater Male' Area and 66, 534 from the Atolls.
The agency said that there are 8 vaccination centers and 2 mobile vaccination teams in the Greater Male Area. It also confirmed that authorities have set up 169 vaccination centers in the Atolls.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Ahmed Naseem had said today that the first dose of the covishield vaccine would only be administered in the Male' Area until the 15th of this month.
Speaking at a ceremony held at Raa Atoll Ungoofaaru today, Minister Naseem said that authorities have been carrying out the COVID vaccination program in the Male' Area, where the infection is rampant, for a while now and that work to administer the second dose should begin soon.
He noted that full immunization against the illness would only be possible after receiving the two doses and that authorities would stop giving the first dose of the COVID vaccine starting next Monday.
The Minister said that authorities have now the capability to administer the vaccine to over 10,000 people per day and that he hopes authorities can vaccinate all above 18 currently living in the Male' Area by next Monday.
