Maldives to start administering 2nd Covishield shot in appointment-based model

Health Protection Agency (HPA) has made the decision to resume vaccination of people who have yet to receive their second shot of Covishield vaccine based on appointments.

Maldives launched its national COVID-19 vaccination campaign with Covishield back in February, but had to halt mass Covishield vaccinations in May after the vaccine producer, India, suspended its export following the deterioration of its domestic virus situation.

 In a statement on Saturday, HPA announced that people who have received the first Covishield shot but have yet to receive the second will be administered the vaccine based on appointment starting Sunday.

HPA said that appointments will be issued based on the date the first shot was administered, and that those who received the first shot earlier will be prioritized.

HPA said they will begin calling people who received their first shot in February on Sunday, and urged people to arrive in time for the appointment.

“We hereby inform that the second dose of Covishield vaccine will be provided appointment-based at this time,” said HPA.

Those who go to get the shot have been reminded to bring their national ID card or another official identification document, and the vaccine card.

Maldives is currently administering China’s Sinopharm vaccine. Pfizer vaccine is also administered under special circumstances.

317,244 people have received their first vaccine shot, and 191,725 people have been fully vaccinated in Maldives – meaning approximately 125,500 people – most of whom were administered the Covishield vaccine – have yet to receive their second shot.