Malé, Maldives – Spokesperson of Health Emergency Operations Center, Dr Nazla Rafeeg has informed that the second dose of Covishield vaccine will be administered after 8 weeks from the first dose.
According to Dr Nazla Rafeeg, the decision has been taken after looking at recent research and advice from World Health Organization (WHO) and Maldives Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (MTAGI). According to HEOC, the vaccine is fully effective two weeks from the date the second dose is administered.
During the press conference held by HEOC last night, Dr Nazla Musthafa also highlighted that the efficacy of the second dose being administered after 8 weeks was more effective as opposed to vaccination after 4 weeks.
We must practice the life saving behaviours such as wearing a mask, physical distancing and washing our hands even after getting the vaccine.
Dr Nazla Rafeeg, Spokesperson of Health Emergency Operations Center
Dr Nazla Musthafa also told people to keep on following precautionary measures taken to fight against the virus. She added that people have started to be careless after the vaccination started and reminded everyone that additional measures have to be taken to contain spread despite vaccination.
Health Protection Agency (HPA) had revealed that a total of 56,218 people have been given the first dose of the Covishield vaccine in the Maldives until date.
Vaccination is currently ongoing in various parts of the country, which include six vaccination centers in Malé, and four within the atolls. The Covid-19 vaccine currently being administered in Maldives is the Covishield vaccine, licensed by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with Oxford University, and 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 co
