Updated 4.20pm
President George Vella received a COVID-19 vaccination on Tuesday afternoon, in a procedure that was broadcast live on social media.
Vella was given his first of two vaccine jabs by a healthcare worker in a brief procedure streamed live on the Health Ministry’s Facebook page. He will receive a second vaccine dose in three weeks' time.
Moments before getting vaccinated, the President made an impassioned appeal to the public to take the vaccine. He urged people to ignore “all the scaremongering” surrounding the vaccine.
"I am sure those spreading false information are only doing so to scare people," he said.
“We would be stupid to refuse the one thing that can save us, based on things that are not true,” he said.
The 78-year-old, a doctor by profession, was offered the vaccine by health authorities.
"His excellency made it clear that if he was offered the vaccine, he would take it," a spokesperson said.
Malta’s vaccination programme has prioritised healthcare workers, over 85s and residents and staff at homes for the elderly. Other senior citizens will be given appointments to take vaccinations starting from February, Health Minister Chris Fearne has said.
Health sources told Times of Malta that the decision to offer the President the vaccine was taken for a number of reasons. Though his role as head of state did play a part in the decision, his age and vulnerabilites were also taken into consideration. The fact he is a doctor also meant he would have been offered the vaccine early on anyway.
But according to the sources, the main reason for offering the vaccine to the President was that he has the power to influence others.
"We need to keep in mind that he is very respected, both as a President and doctor, and so we hope that when the elderly see him getting the vaccine, it will help convince them it is safe and that they should take it," one source said.
Asked whether other top officials, such as Prime Minister Robert Abela or Health Minister Chris Fearne, will be bumped up the list and get vaccinated soon, the sources said this was unlikely since both were under 60.
In October, the President and his wife Miriam had to self-isolate after a member of his staff tested positive for COVID-19. The couple, however, did not contract the virus.
In his message to the nation on Christmas Eve, he thanked the public for obeying the directives of the health authorities in the interests of their health and that of their loved ones.
He also urged family members to do whatever is possible, such as call or send a gift or a card, to the elderly, who, although isolated, were not forgotten.