The Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih received his second dose of COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccine at the Maldives Centre for Social Education (MCSE).

In his tweet announcing that he had received the second dose,  Solih urged everyone to get inoculated at the earliest.

"If eight weeks have passed since your first shot, please go get your second dose now. Those who haven't got their first dose of vaccine, please go and get your shot now. Together we can beat COVID19," he tweeted.

Solih had launched the COVID-19 Dhifaau campaign on February 1, with the aim to urge citizens to inoculate against COVID-19. Administering the second dose was initiated on April 3, according to Avas.mv

There are nine vaccination centres and two mobile teams working under the inoculation drive in the Greater Male Region, and 237 vaccination centres active in the atolls. Vaccines are provided free of charge for locals and expatriates.

Under the inoculation drive, over 246,896 people have received the first dose of the vaccine and over 3,737 persons had received the second dose as of April 5.

In addition to the COVSHIELD vaccine, the Maldives Food and Drug Authority had also authorised the use of China’s Sinopharm vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine has also been approved for use against COVID-19 in the Maldives.