Malé, Maldives – Long queues are forming in front of vaccination locations in greater Malé region as a large number of people are lining up to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
While vaccination started for certain groups of people on February 1st, mass vaccination started today for everyone above the age of 55 as well as high risk people above 18 years of age. Previously, vaccination was given only to frontline workers and old age high risk people.
Vaccines are being administered from the Social Centre, Islamic Centre, Villimalé Youth Centre as well as the former flu clinic in Hulhumalé. Long queues have been formed at all these locations with record number of people lining up since vaccination started. Some elderly people are also waiting in these lines with some people using umbrellas to protect from the sun.
Vaccination was to start at 0900. But people started lining up at 0700. Maybe that’s why it was over so fast.
Local who received the vaccine
Vaccination is currently ongoing in various parts of the country, which include six vaccination centers in Malé, and four within the atolls. The vaccine currently being administered in Maldives is the Covishield vaccine, manufactured by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with Oxford University, mass produced by the Serum Institute of India.
Maldives received 100,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine from India, which is currently in use, while additional 700,000 doses procured by the country are to be received within the March. However, the country will receive the vaccine shipment from World Health Organization (WHO), which would be sufficient to vaccinate at least 20 percent of the population of the country, with in the upcoming two weeks.
While China has also decided to donate 100,000 vaccines to the country, Maldives already received 10,000 doses of the Chinese made Sinopharm vaccine via donors Health Protection Agency has not yet named.
As of today, Maldives has recorded 17,507 positive cases of Covid-19 within the island nation. While 15,143 recoveries have been recorded Maldives just now recorded its 57th death due to the virus. HPA and health professionals urge the public to adhere to the guidelines set by the authorities to minimize the spread of the virus. HPA has recently extended the vehicle operation ban in Malé as well from 18:00 to 06:00.
