When will COVID-19 vaccines be ready for distribution? – Maria Meilak
All vaccines must be approved by the European Medicines Agency before they can be distributed.
So far, there have been three applications by three pharmaceutical companies for approval. If it establishes that the vaccine is safe and effective, the agency will recommend that a marketing authorisation is granted.
It is expected that at least one of the vaccines will be approved by the end of 2020.
Once authorised, the vaccines will be available to EU countries at the same time and with the same conditions.
The EU has secured two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine for its citizens, with each country receiving a number of vaccines according to its population.
Despite the number of cases remaining high, why are you still permitting parties at private residences if there are no more than 100 people? – Giselle Bennie
The authorities have instituted several measures along the pandemic related to restriction of physical distancing. Following an increase in cases in the second wave, a number of public health restrictive measures were reintroduced.
This included restrictions on gatherings in public spaces, which currently is of no more than six people, restrictions on events, with only seated events being permitted, and with restrictions on the number of people allowed (100 indoors and 300 outdoors) and closure of nightclubs, bars and każini.
Thanks to these and other measures, the number of cases have stabilised and started going down.
There have not been any public health legal restrictions on events in private residencies.
Holiday settings have been shown to increase infections that transmit via close contact, due to the mixing of people belonging to different age groups and different group bubbles.
Eating and drinking in close contact without a mask, and often relaxed attitudes and related risk-taking behaviour by individuals are common in a festive context, further increases the risk of transmission.
Knowing that community transmission is still high, people need to maintain social contact from a distance with friends, family and colleagues.
Internet-based communications and the phone are best ways for ensuring a successful physical distancing strategy.
Hence it is being recommended strongly that families stick to their household for the Christmas and New Year festivities events.
Women of childbearing age should be advised to avoid pregnancy for at least two months after their second dose
May I ask if people coming from amber countries without a PCR test are all tested or whether we are still on random testing? – Francis Borg
Passengers arriving from countries on the ‘Amber List’ are required to submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate on arrival to Malta.
The swab test should be carried out within the previous 72 hours.
For increased security, all those people who do not present swab tests will have a test carried out at Malta International Airport.
As of December 10, 5,742 tests have been carried out, with 69 resulting positive. All positive cases are isolated for at least 14 days locally until recovered.
We are getting married in Malta on December 19 and flying in this Friday 18th. We are worried that if we pay for a private PCR test in the UK we may not get the results in time due to delays with the post. If we are asked to take a test on arrival in Malta, will we get the results in time for our wedding? – Amy and Matthew
There is a legal obligation to get a negative PCR-COVID-19 test when travelling from an amber country.
At Malta International Airport, we are using rapid antigen tests whereby results are usually generated in one hour.
Any positive tests will need to be confirmed through laboratory-based PCR COVID-19 test which can take up to 72 hours.
You have said that women planning on getting pregnant in the next two months should avoid the COVID-19 vaccine. Does that apply also to their male partner? – Charmaine
There is no or a limited amount of data about the use of COVID-19 vaccine on pregnant women.
Animal reproductive toxicity studies have not been completed. Hence, the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine B is not recommended during pregnancy.
For women of childbearing age, pregnancy should be excluded before vaccination.
In addition, women of childbearing age should be advised to avoid pregnancy for at least two months after their second dose.
This only applies to women as it is the woman’s antibodies that can pass to the foetus through the bloodstream.
Have any questions to ask the superintendent? Send an e-mail to askcharmaine@timesofmalta.com.