Malta has halted plans for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to be included in its immunization programme, after its use was suspended by both the European Union and United States over blood clot fears. 

The decision was confirmed by Superintendent for Public Health Chairmaine Gauci, who said during an interview with the Times of Malta earlier today that Malta would continue to follow advice issued by the European Medicines Authority on which vaccines to allow the use of. 

Both the EU and the US have suspended the administration of the vaccine over six reported cases of a rare type of blood clot known as venous sinus thrombosis, which were detected in the US. 

The country has so far administered the vaccine to roughly 6.8 million people meaning the incidence of the side effect is roughly one in every million cases. 

The decision to suspend the use of the vaccine will come as a blow to local authorities, who have been banking on the one-shot jab in order to speed up Malta’s vaccine roll-out. 

Last weekend, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced that Malta has brought forward its target for reaching herd immunity to June given the speed with which the country has managed to vaccinate the population. 

It isn’t clear whether this latest announcement will alter Malta’s vaccination plans. 

Meanwhile, it was announced today that the EU will be receiving 50 million additional doses of the Pfizer vaccine, bringing the total supplies to the EU from Pfizer up to 250 million doses. 

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