Only Half Of Malta’s Over-65s Take Second COVID-19 Booster But Rate Still One Of Europe’s Highest
Although there hasn’t been as much public enthusiasm for the second COVID-19 booster as there was for the first one, Malta’s uptake rate is still one of the highest in Europe.
Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci told ONE News today that around half of people aged 65 and older have received their second booster so far, way higher than the European average of 12% for the same cohort.
As of today, Malta started offering the second booster to residents aged 60 and older.
Urging people to accept their invitations, Gauci insisted that it is only thanks to the vaccine and subsequent boosters that the COVID-19 situation is under control.
“When someone tests positive for COVID-19, they have a lower chance of developing complications and ending up in hospital, and we’re seeing fewer deaths when compared to the community positivity rate,” she said. “However, we know that vaccination immunity and protection starts declining after a few months so it’s important the cohort of over-60s receives the second booster.”
ECDC data shows that 9.2% of the Maltese population has received the second booster so far, the third highest rate in Europe – behind only Sweden and the Netherlands – for countries in which data is available.
Meanwhile, 86.1% of Maltese residents had received the primary COVID-19 vaccination course, the highest rate in Europe, while 68% received the first booster, the third highest rate behind only Iceland and Italy.
However, with no restrictions on unvaccinated people in place anymore, the second booster is the first real test into how many people want to get vaccinated for the sake of the protection it offers rather than because they feel coerced into doing so.
Cover photo: Prime Minister Robert Abela and Health Minister Chris Fearne visiting a COVID-19 vaccination booth last year
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