Malé, Maldives – Local news media and social media report hundreds lining up for the Covid-19 jab at vaccination locations in Malé.
This comes after the Health Minister announced that the government will cease administering the first dose after tomorrow, 15 March 2021. The number of people going to the vaccination centers increased after this announcement on 9th March.
Since the announcement was made, Maldives has registered record numbers of vaccinations and as of today, people have started queuing for the vaccine before the vaccination centers opened. While people have been lining up unfavourable whether conditions such as rain, it is observed that a large portion are foreign nationals. The daily vaccine capacity in greater Malé area is 10,000 daily.
Vaccine queues have become a hot topic on social media with people criticizing and supporting the individuals in queues and some sharing tips for long hours in the sun and rain by advising; to bring umbrellas and snacks.
While HEOC previously stated that first dose administration would cease tomorrow for authorities to start preparations for administering the second dose of the currently available vaccine Covishield, they have informed that the following individuals can get the first dose:
- High risk individuals ( Senior citizens and individuals with long term illnesses)
- Individuals positive for Covid-19 and are currently in isolation
- Direct contacts currently in quarantine
- Individuals travelling from abroad and currently in quarantine
- Individuals who had to delay their first dose due to an illness or health condition
Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed that the number of individuals who have received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in the Maldives has reached 198,206 including yesterday’s 9,770 people who got their first jab. Yesterday’s total comes with the 5,859 doses which were administered Greater Malé Area and the 3,911 jabs administered in the atolls.
