President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced the government will begin administering booster shots to the general population in December. In a tweet, President Solih expressed concern over the new Omicron COVID-19 variant.
The president said the government is presently administering booster vaccine shots to citizens above 50 years of age, and that booster shots for healthcare, tourism, and airport frontline employees will start this week. He said the booster shot administering programme for the general population will commence in mid-December and urged those eligible to get their booster shots as soon as possible.
The latest statistics from Health Protection Agency (HPA) show 395,586 individuals have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 363,150 have received the second dose, and 9,058 have received the booster dose.
Numerous countries, including the Maldives, have strengthened restrictions after the Omicron COVID-19 variant that was first detected in South Africa. As such, the Maldives has banned travellers from seven countries so far.