As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, with government mitigation measures still in force, Malta’s Health Minister has clarified whether a fourth dose of the vaccine will be given out on the island.

“At this stage, we aren’t seeing the need for a fourth vaccine, certainly until next autumn,” Fearne said during an interview on TV show Topik.

“The consensus seems to the that at this stage, there’s no need for it, certainly for the general population,” Fearne continued. “We could end up in a situation that is similar to what we have for influenza, where once a year we offer the vaccine for it.

“In that case, we have enough doses that if we need to give a vaccine out once a year, we can give it, voluntarily, to whoever wants it,” he said.

“But for the rest of this winter, we aren’t considering giving out a fourth dose.”