President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced today that a special program will be started next month aiming to vaccinate 90 percent of the population above the age of 18 against COVID-19.
In the presidential address to celebration of the 56th Independence Day, he said the first priority under this new program will be to ensure they vaccinate 90 percent of the eligible population before the end of next month.
“This is an opportunity that very few countries in the world has,” President said.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih further added that the government has purchased enough COVID-19 vaccines to ensure two doses to everyone that has so far not received two doses. He requests all Maldivians take advantage of the opportunity and get vaccinated soon.
So far, 50 percent of the entire population has received both doses.
Education Ministry has asked all schools to ensure all of their staff are vaccinated before the academic new year starts next month.
The government is working towards opening schools similar to how it was, pre-pandemic. In a letter sent to the highest authority at schools, it stated the government plans to make sure all school staff are vaccinated prior to August 10, which is when schools reopen.
The ministry said they have worked with the relevant authorities to make vaccines easily accessible to staff from schools that require more doses. This includes people that have not gotten any dose so far, or people that requires the second dose as well.
This will be applicable to schools in administrative islands as well.
All staff working in schools are required to have at least one dose before school re-opens. If this not possible for any reason, they have to submit a document from Health Protection Agency (HPA) stating the reason to the school.
HPA projects that COVID-19 will now spread amongst children. Maldives does not vaccinate anyone under the age of 18, though some countries have already started to do so.
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