The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that a COVID-19 vaccine shipment from the United States will arrive in the Maldives on Monday.
However, the Ministry has not provided any other information on the scheduled vaccine shipment, such as the type of vaccine or the number of doses.
According to a Health Protection Agency official, the Maldives had depleted its stock of Pfizer vaccine obtained through the COVAX facility and was seeking additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Nazla Rafeeg, spokesperson for the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC), announced in a news conference on August 5th that children above the age of 12 in the Maldives will be given the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer.
She also stated that the Maldives has been assured of an adequate supply of Pfizer vaccines to begin immunizing children aged 12 to 17, as well as pregnant women. She added that pregnant women who were given Covishield as their first dose would be given Pfizer as their second dose.
The Pfizer vaccine will also be given to people who have weakened immune systems or are on long-term treatment for chronic conditions. Those who had their first Pfizer dose from outside the country will also be able to obtain the vaccination
The US and Canada had agreed to donate COVID-19 vaccines to the Maldives via the COVAX facility.
The Maldives Food and Drug Authority approved the use of Covishield/AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines in the Maldives. In addition to these vaccines, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Sputnik V have been approved for emergency use.
