The COVID-19 vaccination programme exceeded 50,000 jabs on Saturday, two weeks earlier than planned, Health Minister Chris Fearne said on Sunday.

The first jabs were administered at the end of December, a day after Malta received its first consignment of the Pfizer vaccine. 

It has since also been receiving consignments from Moderna and AstraZeneca.

Malta leads EU countries in the number of jabs administered per capita.

All medical front-liners have received the jab along with most of those aged over 85. The focus is currently on non-medical front-liners such as the police, vulnerable people and those aged between 80 and 84. The second jab is being administered after three weeks. 

First consignments of a new single jab vaccine, by Johnson & Johnson, are expected next month after approval by the EU medinces agency.

Malta has ordered 250,000 vaccines from Johnson and Johnson, and their arrival will further advance the vaccination programme, the minister said last week. 

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