A total of 42 per cent of adults in Malta have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Health Minister Chris Fearne said on Wednesday.

According to the latest population calculations by the NSO, there are 432,616 adults eligible to get vaccinated. 

Breaking down the statistics further, Fearne said that so far:

  • 96 per cent of those aged over 80 have received a shot
  • 86 per cent of the over 70s have been given a vaccine
  • 76 per cent of the over 60s have now had one dose

At least a first dose of the vaccine was also received by 86 per cent of those who suffer from chronic illnesses.

Fearne said that 86 per cent of teachers and school staff had also been vaccinated with 18,200 accepting the vaccine out of 21,000 invites sent out.

The minister said that while the number of people who were at Mater Dei Hospital with COVID-19 in mid-March was 140, the number had dropped to 41 by Tuesday.

Dramatic drop in ITU patients

As for patients in ITUs, while there had been a maximum of 31 active cases at ITUs in March, there was on Wednesday eight active cases and another seven cases who, although no longer active, were still receiving treatment at the unit.

In Gozo the number of intensive care patients had dropped from a maximum of five people in March to one on Wednesday.

He said the government was aiming to have vaccinated all vulnerable people by the end of April, with the country on track to achieve herd immunity by the end of summer. 

Fearne gave the details in a news conference, where he also announced a timeline for the relaxation of measures to stop the spread of COVID-19.

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