An imminent fourth vaccine jab, following the Israeli model, is not on the cards because the booster is doing its job against COVID-19, the health ministry has said.

The question of another shot was put to the health authorities in light of Israel’s roll-out of a fourth vaccine jab four months after the last one was given as Malta continues to administer its third, reaching over 250,000 people so far.

“Immunity levels in individuals who received booster doses appear to be adequate to protect against severe consequences to date,” the health ministry said.

The health authorities would continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis, it replied when asked whether the plan was to offer yet another booster in a few months.

Public health sources said a fourth vaccine would first need to be discussed at EU level.

This has not yet been the case as it was deemed more important for EU countries to get their population to take the booster dose first before even considering another jab, the sources said.

Israel was administering the fourth shot to the vulnerable and elderly only and has not fully explained why it took such a decision, the same sources added.

Israel was among the first in the world to offer a third shot to its population and will be a trailblazer for the fourth COVID-19 jabs for immunocompromised people, it was announced at the end of the year.

Its effort comes almost one year after it began a massive vaccination drive.

Israeli doctors were quoted as saying the fourth dose would “increase protection against coronavirus” and they could not wait to see the results.

Chile has announced it will also offer a fourth shot to at-risk people starting in February while the health authorities in Britain and Germany are considering following suit.