Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/82294
Title: The fastest national COVID vaccination in Europe - Malta’s strategies
Authors: Cuschieri, Sarah
Agius, Stephen
Souness, Jorgen
Brincat, Andre
Grech, Victor E.
Keywords: COVID-19 (Disease) -- Vaccination -- Malta
COVID-19 (Disease) -- Prevention -- Malta
COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- -- Malta
Vaccination centers -- Malta
Preventive health services -- Malta
Issue Date: 2021
Publisher: Elsevier
Citation: Cuschieri, S., Agius, S., Souness, J., Brincat, A., & Grech, V. (2021). The fastest national COVID vaccination in Europe - Malta's strategies. Health Sciences Review, 1, 100001
Abstract: Background: COVID-19 vaccines reduce morbidity and mortality, but mass vaccination faces multiple challenges leading to different vaccination rates in different countries. Malta, a small European country, has achieved a very rapid vaccination rollout. This paper presents a narrative review of Malta’s vaccination strategy and its impact on the country’s COVID-19 situation. Methods: Data was obtained through a literature review of Maltese newspapers and from Malta’s COVID-19 government dashboard. A comprehensive summary of vaccination operations was provided by Malta’s COVID-19 vaccination team. Results: Malta comprised part of the European Commission joint procurement and obtained the maximum vac- cines that were eligible from all manufacturers. Four tier priority population groups were set up, with both vaccine doses (where applicable) allocated and stored for each individual. Multiple hubs were set up to simultaneously administer first and eventually second doses accordingly. To date (August 9, 2021) 398,128 of the population are fully vaccinated and 405,073 received the first dose, with both morbidity and mortality declining progressively as vaccination coverage progressed. Conclusion: Malta has successfully implemented a COVID-19 strategy that rapidly covered a substantial proportion of the population over a short period of time, with herd immunity reached by end of May 2021. Low population vaccination hesitancy and high vaccine doses availability were two major factors in this success.
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/82294
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Scholarly Works - FacM&SAna

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