Impact on COVID-19 hospitalisation rates of Maltese elderly following
achievement of 70% first dose vaccine coverage.
Abstract
We studied COVID-19 hospitalisation rates in elderly Maltese residents,
aged 80 years and older, after national attainment of 70% first-dose
coverage of COVID-19 vaccine in this age cohort. The milestone resulted
in almost 50% reduction of hospital admissions, as confirmed by time
series modelling using national SARS-CoV-2 infection rates as the
comparator. The reduction was not seen in younger, as yet unvaccinated,
age groups, where hospital admissions actually increased during the same
period following a third wave of infections.