Maldives fails to vaccinate 90 percent of the population by August

Maldives fails to vaccinate 90 percent of its eligible population by August.

According to Health Protection Agency (HPA) 452,798 people are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Maldives. So far 383,620 people have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. This is 84.7 percent of the eligible population, falling a little under six percent behind the government's goal.

HPA has said 302,182 people have received both doses of the vaccine. This is 66.7 percent of the eligible population.

However 383,089 people have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccines. This makes up 84 percent of the eligible population.

Maldives started inoculating people above the age of 18 in February. While Sinopharm, Covishield and AstraZeneca vaccines are used in Maldives, children between the ages of 12 and 17 are provided the Pfizer vaccine. The program aimed at inoculating children was started on August 15.

Previously, the government had decided that they would stop providing the first dose of the vaccine after September 1. However they were now working on extending that date.

As the spread of the coronavirus appears largely controlled in Maldives, especially in the Greater Male' Area, restrictions previously placed to control the spread of COVID has now been loosened.

To encourage more people to get inoculated, an ease of access to state and other services will be provided to people that have been vaccinated. This includes ease in travel, and allowing for businesses to deny entry to unvaccinated patrons.