Health Protection Agency HPA says certain age groups in the Greater Male' Area would be given the 1st dose of the covishield vaccine after the 15th of this month.
This comes after health officials have confirmed that they would stop administering the 1st dose of the covishield vaccine in the Greater Male' Area starting next Monday.
HPA said today that certain groups would be exempted from this and that they would be given the first dose of the vaccine even after the 15th of March.
HPA said that these groups include;
- Individuals who are considered high-risk to the pandemic
- Individuals who are currently under isolation having tested positive for COVID (On the date that they eligible for vaccine)
- Individuals who are currently under quarantine having been identified as a contact of a COVID patient (On the date that they are eligible for vaccination)
- Individuals under quarantine after traveling abroad or traveling from Male' Area
- Individuals who have had to delay vaccination because of a certain illness
HPA has said the 2nd dose of the covishield vaccine can only be administered 8 to 12 weeks after the administration of the first dose. HPA began its massive inoculation drive on the 1st of February and is likely to begin administering the second dose on the 28th of this month.
Following the government's decision that authorities would stop administering the first dose of the vaccine, many have been flocking to the vaccination centers in the Greater Male' Area.
HPA said yesterday that a record 9,781 received the first dose of the vaccine yesterday and that this includes 4,459 from the Greater Male' Area itself.
