Booster shots for healthcare, tourism and airport frontliners to commence this week

Airport representatives of some resorts seen wearing PPE at Velana International Airport waiting for their tourists | Photo: Mihaaru

Malé, Maldives – President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced today that Maldives will expand the Covid-19 booster program to the general population starting mid December.

President Solih stated this following a tweet expressing alarm over the World Health Organization classifying a new Covid-19 variant of concern, the Omicron variant.

“News of a new Covid variant, Omicron is of great concern to us. The Technical Advisory Group met today and imposed travel ban for 7 southern African countries,” stated President Solih.

Booster shots for healthcare, tourism and airport frontline staff will start this week.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih

Maldives is currently administering Covid-19 booster shots to the eligible population over 50 years of age. The Covid-19 booster program started on 3 October 2021 with shots being administered to frontline workers and high risk individuals. The country is administering Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine as booster doses.

The island destination has fully vaccinated 362,742 individuals, with 395,470 people receiving the first dose. 7,947 people have been administered with booster doses.