Health Protection Agency HPA says a total of 9,770 individuals received the 1st dose of the covishield vaccine in the Maldives on Saturday.
HPA said that this includes 5,859 people who were vaccinated from the Greater Male' Area where the vaccination numbers have been going up since the authorities announced that they would stop administering the first dose of the vaccine in the City on the 15th of this month.
Authorities have set up 8 vaccination centers across the Greater Male' Area and long queues were seen outside such centers as many rushed to get the first dose of the vaccine.
HPA reported that 3,911 individuals were given the first dose of the covishield vaccine in the Atolls where authorities have set up169 vaccination centers.
The Agency had said that a total of 198,206 individuals have now received the first dose of the covishield vaccine in the Maldives and that this includes 111,695 from the Greater Male' Area and 86,511 from the Atolls.
Although, authorities are set to stop giving the first dose of the covishield vaccine in the Greater Male' Area starting Monday, HPA had exempted certain groups from this decision.
This 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 next month.
