A total of 12,307 people aged over 50 have already received their first vaccine jab, Health Minister Chris Fearne told Parliament on Monday. 

Answering a parliamentary question by Opposition MP Claudette Buttigieg, Fearne added that 10,900 front liners had also received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Last week, Times of Malta reported that people in their late 50s had started receiving invitations to get the vaccine. On Saturday, Fearne urged those over 50 to register for the jab. They should receive an invitation by mid-May.

So far, 244,718 jabs have been administrated in Malta, of which 71,481 are second doses. 

Of these, 21,400 people aged over 80 have received at least one dose, while 79,230 people aged between 60 and 79 have also been vaccinated. 

A further 18,600 people who are considered vulnerable have received their first jab. Some 30,800 essential workers - including educators - have been vaccinated.

When asked by PN MP Karol Aquilina whether notaries will also be given priority, Fearne stressed that the vaccination programme was being rolled out according to age and patient vulnerability. 

13,306 Gozitans received jab

Replying to a separate question by MP Kevin Cutajar, Fearne said that as of April 8, a total of 13,306 vaccine doses had been administered in Gozo. 

When asked how many Gozitans tested positive for the UK variant, Fearne said that out of 1,225 residents who tested positive, 32 were had  the UK strain. 

At the moment, 75 per cent of positive cases linked to the new strain.