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The island of Malta is known as a tourist destination for its scenic views. Perhaps less recognized is that it now has the world’s highest coronavirus vaccination rate, with 80 percent of the total population, including children, and 90 percent of people over the age of 12 fully vaccinated. It is a remarkable achievement for the small European Union member, which has some of the strictest public health measures in place to avoid an upsurge in new COVID-19 cases.
The record-setting vaccination campaign is believed to be the fastest for any country in history, and one that many other countries would like to emulate. Much of this success is simply due to the fact that Malta is such a small island country, where roughly half a million people are squeezed into a densely populated area of 316 square kilometers, or 122 square miles. But there are other factors at play, including an excellent single-payer health care system and a strong sense of community, where the solidarity of neighbors looking out for one another was never in question.