“The road back to normal started today, today we are giving one of the most wonderful gifts to the people of this Christmas.
This was the message from Prime Minister Roberta Abela at a press conference at the Malta International Airport, together with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne and the Superintendent of Public Health Professor Charmaine Gauci with the arrival of the Pfizer and Biontech vaccine against Covid-19, in Malta.
The Prime Minister reiterated that from tomorrow the distributation of this vaccine will start and all this will mean that we are giving the best gift to those elderly people who have made so many sacrifices, to the vulnerable, to those grandparents who have not seen their grandchildren for a long time, those people who have not seen their elderly parents for a long time.
Dr Abela explained how in countries not so far away from us on Christmas Day they could not catch and leave without a reason and if they did they would end up with a fine of € 1,000. On the other hand in Malta the cases are decreasing while today the vaccine has just arrived.
“This vaccine arrived in Malta today, when there are countries much bigger than us that will arrive next year. We will start vaccinating front liners from tomorrow and in January we will redistribute the vouchers to boost the economy “, said the Prime Minister Robert Abela.
Dr Abela said that our country can now regain the economic success we have been achieving. “We have to keep working hard, ready to keep working to move forward,” said the Prime Minister.
Robert Abela called for everyone to get the vaccine but everyone should remain cautious and follow the instructions of the health authorities. Prime Minister Abela recalled how this Government has worked together for one goal and is proud of the decision taken by this Government to protect life and quality of life – we have invested a lot but this has been the best investment which we were able to do, said Dr. Abela.
The Prime Minister recalled the many aids that this Government has brought in, among them a budget that has given various aids which helped the economy bounce back strongly as did the business community. Dr Abela recalled how week after week in Malta we reduced unemployment, increased property sales and opened schools with an investment of € 30 million to prevent the loss of a generation.
“We used to defend against this virus, today we will start attacking” – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne stated that usually against the Covid-19 virus we were defending from today, with the arrival of the vaccine, we will start attacking.
Minister Fearne explained how today the first 10,000 out of hundreds of thousands of vaccines arrived, in fact he said that according to the consignment, Malta’s quota was that of about 260,000 Pfizer vaccines, but after negotiations with the company they have climbed to 600,000 and they will be arriving in the coming days and weeks.
All this in order to get back to taking our lives, our economy, social life, culture and festivities back after this virus ruined our health, tourism, and our lives, said Dr. Fearne.ffr
The Health Minister said Covid has infected 80 million people worldwide and killed close to two million. People also died in Malta and our hearts and thoughts are with these people although we know that we have done what we could medically, said Minister Fearne.
The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the fact that Malta will be among the first countries in the world to start vaccinating its population did not come by chance, because since February we have been pushing Europe to buy. together of the vaccine and there are no big countries to have and small ones not.
From tomorrow we will start vaccinating Maltese citizens, we will start from 2,000 a week, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 and by the summer we will have vaccinated the majority until we reach herd immunity explained the Minister of Health while reminding how the vaccine will start to take it first the front liners. All this for free so I urge you to get a vaccine appealed to Dr. Fearne.
Minister Fearne also mentioned the vaccine passport whereby millions of people in a number of vaccinated European countries will be able to move safely from one country to another.
Finally, the minister said that today we have closed half a million swab tests which is equal to how many people live in our country. Despite this we must continue to take care of each other. Very proud of the professionals, of the Maltese people. From tomorrow we will start the road to new life, from tomorrow we will start the road for Malta to take its soul, concluded the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne.
Professor Charmaine Gauci, Superintendent of Public Health, said the virus had a strong impact that affected everyday life – but today is a special day. We must continue to take care of prevention until the spread of this virus is controlled.
Professor Gauci appealed for everyone to get the vaccine.
Photo: DOI / OPM
