Malé, Maldives – The Spokesperson of Health Emergency Operations Center, Dr Nazla Rafeeg has informed that discussions are underway to ease restrictions for those who complete both doses of the Covishield vaccine.
Dr. Nazla informed that deliberations are currently ongoing to determine what restrictions will be lifted or eased with the administration of two doses of the Covishield vaccine.
So far, Dr. Nazla informed that the center has decided to loose some restrictions once the citizens administer two doses of the vaccine although the second dose will take up to two weeks to start working effectively.
We are currently discussing to check which restrictions can be eased for those who have already administered the Covid-19 vaccine and to which percentage of the population must be vaccinated to loosen restrictions.
Dr. Nazla stated.
Dr. Nazla informed that an announcement will be made regarding the restrictions as soon as the center makes a decision.
The Health Minister of Maldives, Ahmed Naseem earlier informed that incumbent government is planning to introduce a Covid-19 vaccine passport in the upcoming three to four months, since foreign countries who will request for the guarantee of an individual having two doses of Covid-19 administered in providing entry to the countries.
Minister Naseem noted that with the guarantee of having administered two doses of Covid-19 vaccine, individuals will not be mandated to follow the quarantine rule as well. However, HEOC officials maintain that the extent of ease to Covid-19 safety measures is still under discussion and have not been decided yet.
Following the increased number of cases since January after the new variant was found in Maldives, HPA has increased the strictness of the measures which had been placed to lower the spread. Most recently, HPA increased the vehicle operation ban on the roads of Malé area between 18:00 and 06:00 effective from today February 12 onwards and groups of people more than 10 cannot gather at the same place.
Until yesterday, 96,362 people from Malé area and 70,313 from the atolls have received their first dose of Covishield vaccine.
Maldives started its nationwide vaccination campaign, Covid-19 Dhifaau on the 1st of February and has since seen more than 145,000 individuals being vaccinated in the country. The government of Maldives is working with the aim of vaccinating the entire population – both local and expatriates – within the upcoming five months.
