Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/99288
Title: A year of COVID-19 pandemic roller-coaster : the Malta experience, lessons learnt and the future
Authors: Cuschieri, Sarah
Grech, Stephan
Grech, Victor E.
Keywords: COVID-19 (Disease) -- Vaccination -- Malta
COVID-19 (Disease) -- Transmission -- Malta
COVID-19 (Disease) -- Prevention -- Malta
COVID-19 (Disease) -- Mortality -- Malta
COVID-19 (Disease) -- Malta -- Statistics
COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020- -- Malta
Issue Date: 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Citation: Cuschieri, S., Grech, S., & Grech, V. (2022). A year of Covid-19 pandemic roller-coaster: The Malta experience, lessons learnt and the future. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 1-28. Doi: 10.1017/dmp.2022.100
Abstract: Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a global impact. The study explores the various COVID-19 experiences in Malta over the past year and provides a snapshot of acute and post-acute COVID-19 symptoms, as well as national vaccination roll-out and hesitancy.
Methods: Data on medical access, lifestyle habits, acute and post-acute COVID-19 symptoms, and vaccination hesitancy was gathered through a social media survey targeting adults of Malta. COVID-19 data were gathered from the Malta Ministry of Health COVID-19 dashboard.
Results: Malta controlled COVID-19 spread exceptionally well initially. Since August 2020, the positivity rate, mortality, and hospital admission rates saw a fluctuating incline. From COVID-19 onset, a decrease in physical activity and an increase in body weight was reported. Most participants acquiring COVID-19 were asymptomatic but nontrivial proportion experienced post-acute symptoms. The majority opted to take the COVID-19 vaccine with only a minority expressing safety concerns.
Conclusions: Malta has experienced roller coaster events over a year. The population faced elevated levels of morbidity, mortality, and economic hardship along with negative and positive risk-associated behaviors. Vaccination in combination with population adherence to social distancing, mask wearing, and personal hygiene are expected to be the beacons of hope in the coming months.
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/99288
Appears in Collections:Scholarly Works - FacM&SAna

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