Important facts about the COVID-19 vaccine

Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Monday that the first COVID-19 vaccine will be administered on Sunday 27 December.

The announcement comes following the European Medicine’s Authority’s approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.

Vaccine timeline:

27 December – Infectious Disease Unit nurse to be the first person to receive the vaccine. Staff in IDU, ITU, emergency ward, and wards caring for COVID-19 patients will also start to receive the vaccine.

28 December – Staff at primary healthcare centres and swabbing centres receive vaccine

29 December – Gozo General Hospital staff to receive vaccine

30 December – Staff at Mount Carmel Hospital, St Thomas, Boffa and Good Samaritan hospitals get vaccinated

1-6 January - St Vincent de Paule home for the elderly receive vaccine

7 January – Government starts rollout of letters with details on vaccination appointment for elderly over the age of 85

Important facts:

• First lot of 10,000 COVID-19 vaccines to arrive in the country on Saturday 26 December
• Government issues new 145 helpline for questions related to vaccination
• Professor Michael Borg, head of the Infectious Diseases Unit says vaccine is “phenomenal leap” as it does not contain doses of the actual virus, unlike conventional vaccines
• Optimal level of antibodies is reached with the second dose, the booster, which is administered 21 days after the first shot
• First shot raises immunity to 52%, second jab increases to 95%
• In between shots, if someone is infected, they have to take the normal precautions and quarantine
• People who get vaccinated are to refrain from getting pregnant
• Under 16s will not get vaccine
• Prof. Borg says immunity is effective for at least three months from the date of vaccination
• People with common allergies can receive the vaccine

READ ALSO: Infectious Disease Unit nurse to receive first COVID-19 vaccine next Sunday