Why are people over 80, who should be fully vaccinated, still dying? – Anna Maria Chircop

Clinical trials have shown that COVID-19 vaccines are registering a high vaccine efficacy of 90 to 95 per cent, hence providing a high level of prevention of serious disease with or without hospitalisation.

This means that the vaccine will prevent serious disease and complications from COVID-19 in persons who are vaccinated.

Since, as for all vaccines, the efficacy is not 100 per cent, vaccination cannot provide a guarantee that an individual is fully protected from COVID-19.

In Malta, vaccination by age groups is steadily increasing coverage rates for elderly persons.

Eighty per cent of persons aged over 80 have been vaccinated. Persons who have still not received the invitation and are aged over 80 years are asked to contact the COVID-19 vaccine helpline on 145.

We encourage everyone to accept the invitation for vaccination.

Is it true the UK variant is more deadly? – Marco Vella

A UK study recently published in the British Medical Journal presented the results of a follow-up of almost 55,000 matched pairs of persons who tested positive for COVID-19 between October 2020 and January 2021. These persons were followed up until mid-February 2021.

The risk ratio for mortality associated with infection with the UK variant (VOC-202012/1) compared to infection of the previously circulating COVID-19 was 1.64.

This represents an increase in deaths from 2.5 to 4.1 per 1,000 detected cases.

Another UK study published in Nature analysed a large dataset of positive cases. These authors estimate a 61 per cent higher risk of death associated with the UK variant.

These studies indicate that the UK variant is not only more transmissible than previously circulating COVID-19 but may also cause more severe illness. Further studies are ongoing in various countries.

However, these findings alert to caution whereby prevention measures need to be ensured as vaccine roll-out covers the more vulnerable of the population.

People who have symptoms are encouraged to come forward for testing. It is important to look for warning signs and to seek medical care if one sees worsening symptoms or if symptoms are not improving and, especially, if one has trouble breathing or persistent pain or pressure in the chest.

The new cases across Europe have increased. Are all travellers being tested upon arrival? – Paul Xuereb

Travel to Malta is classified in traffic light zones, whereby green zones are allowed for travel, amber zones are allowed for travel subject to a negative PCR test and red zones with restricted travel.

In accordance with Legal Notice 333 of 2020, an amber list of corridor countries is published from which arriving passengers must produce a negative PCR COVID-19 swab test result, which test must have been taken no longer than 72 hours prior to arrival in Malta. If a negative test is not presented, a swab test on arrival is obligatory or a 14-day quarantine period is required.

For red zones, Maltese citizens or persons with a valid residence permit can travel subject to a 14-day quarantine from the date of arrival,  which must be observed with testing during quarantine.

Can you provide an update on children? Have you seen an increase because of the UK variant? How many children have COVID right now? – Rose Borg

The number of cases in children peaked around March 3 and remained sustained till March 11-12, after which they started to descend.

The numbers have been dropping across all age groups apart from the zero to five, which has remained consistent.

From the current active cases, there are 263 cases among children aged up to 17 years from over 2,500 active cases. The clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are generally milder in children compared with adults.

Can persons who are in quarantine as they were in contact with a case or travelled from a red zone take the vaccine? What if positive? – Mariella Borg

One should not receive the COVID-19 vaccination during the quarantine period due to the risk of exposing others during this period. If a person does not test positive during the period of quarantine, then one can take the vaccine once the quarantine period is over.

If a person is positive for COVID-19, then one should postpone receiving the vaccine until one is recovered, the quarantine period is over and at least four weeks have passed from when symptoms started or from the first positive PCR/RAT test.

If the COVID-19 vaccination appointment happens to be scheduled during the quarantine/isolation period, persons are asked to inform the COVID-19 vaccine helpline on 145. This is so that another appointment will be scheduled for after the quarantine/isolation period.

Have any questions to ask the superintendent? Send an e-mail to askcharmaine@timesofmalta.com.

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