Police are investigating a claim that people in Malta are buying vaccine passports from a doctor for €500 each.

The allegation was made in a tweet by British political activist and university student Tabby Westwood.

She wrote: “Very concerned to find out some members of my own family in Malta have managed to buy vaccine passes for €500 so they’re able to travel freely without actually being vaccinated.  

“They’re willing to risk the lives of other people and members of their family?”

The health ministry told Times of Malta that it had reported the contents of the tweet to the police.

Officers have since contacted Westwood to question her about her allegations.

The University of Kent student told Times of Malta that she had been told of unvaccinated relatives in Malta who had bought the vaccine passports from a doctor to avoid having to quarantine following a Christmas holiday.

She was unable to identify the doctor allegedly involved.

Malta has strict COVID-19 travel rules that mean that any unvaccinated traveller aged 12 and over must undergo mandatory quarantine on arrival.

“Fake passports put the lives of everybody at risk and can have severe consequences,” Westwood said.

“Wealth should not be used as a tool to disadvantage others and moral corruption should never be tolerated. This needs to be addressed,” she said,  adding that that was why she posted what she knew on Twitter.

It is not the first time claims have been made about vaccine certificates.

In September, cyber threat intelligence firm Check Point Research claimed fake Maltese COVID-19 certificates were being sold on the dark web with prices starting from €150.

There have also been multiple cases of people caught using fake COVID-19 test results in order to try to leave the country.

In May, the police told Times of Malta that 18 foreign nationals were charged in court for the offence, which carries a maximum prison sentence of one year or a heavy fine.