Malta: Recommended vaccinations
  General recommendation
  Recommendation for specific groups only
  Catch-up (e.g. if previous doses missed)
 
Vaccination not funded by the National Health system
 
Mandatory vaccination
BirthMonthsYears
23461213183-459141618
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
COVID-192
tuberculosis
BCG3
diphtheria
D
D
D
D
d
tetanus
TT
TT
TT
TT
TT
pertussis
acP
acP
acP
acp
poliomyelitis
IPV
IPV
IPV
IPV
IPV
Haemophilus influenzae type b infection
Hib
Hib
Hib
Hib
hepatitis B
HepB
HepB
HepB
HepB
pneumococcal disease
PCV
PCV
PCV
meningococcal disease1
MenB
MCV4
MenB
MenB
MCV4
MCV4
measles
MEAS
MEAS
mumps
MUMPS
MUMPS
rubella
RUBE
RUBE
human papillomavirus infection
HPV9 (F/M)4
influenza
IIV35

Version:


Footnotes:

  1. more information on meningococcal vaccination programme available at https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/phc/pchyhi/Pages/Vaccines.aspx
  2. https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/health-promotion/covid-19/Pages/vaccines.aspx
  3. Free of charge only for children in defined at-risk groups.
  4. 9-valent. Two dose schedule at 0 and 6 months. After the age of 14, there is the possibility of a catch-up. In these cases, the course consist of 3 doses, with the first 2 doses given 1-2 months apart and the third dose given 5 months after the second dose.
  5. more information available at https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/phc/pchyhi/Pages/Vaccines.aspx . Vaccination recommended to persons suffering from diabetes; persons with chronic disease of the lungs, liver, kidneys; persons who are on long-term systemic steroid medication; persons who are having chemotherapy or radiotherapy; persons with HIV/AIDS.


More information available at:
https://healthservices.gov.mt/en/phc/pchyhi/Pages/Vaccines.aspx https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/phc/pchyhi/Pages/Vaccines.aspx


MAJOR HISTORICAL CHANGES
Measles, mumps and rubella:
1982: Measles vaccine first available in Malta.
1990: Introduction of MMR vaccine into national childhood vaccination programme recommended at 15 months of age.
1991: MMR vaccination offered to children aged 11-12 years in all schools.
2005: Age for second dose of MMR reduced to 8-9 years.
2010: Age for second dose of MMR reduced to 3-4 years.
2020: addition of Pneumo (PCV10) and Meningo (MCV4 and MenB) amtigens

Other vaccines:
2008: Separate vaccines for DTwP and Hib given in separate sites changed to the combined DTwP-Hib vaccine in the public sector.
2010 (September): The combined DTaP-IPV-Hib was introduced into the national childhood vaccination programme. This replaced the previous vaccine preparations containing whole-cell pertussis and the live oral polio vaccine.

Vaccines recommended for at-risk groups:
Healthcare workers: influenza, hepatitis B, MMR, varicella
Babies/children: pneumococcal disease, meningococcus C, rotavirus, influenza


Date of last update: 02 February 2024