Watch: “I begged them for the vaccine before we went to India”

Minister Fearne underlines the importance of adhering to the mass vaccination programme timeline

47-year-old Ivan Barbara who died of coronavirus in India, wanted to get the jab ahead of leaving the island with his wife to adopt their daughter, Newsbook.com.mt has learnt.

Sources have told this newsroom that Barbara told them that he had begged the authorities to get vaccinated ahead of the trip.

When Barbara had asked to be given the vaccine, he was informed that he could not have it because the age group he belonged to would only receive the jab later.

During a special edition of Newsbook Q&A Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne said that unfortunately such situations cannot be allowed and the authorities had their plan and timeline for the mass vaccination programme which need to be followed.

Fearne pointed out that if exceptions had to be allowed, everyone would find their own excuse to take the vaccine ahead of the plan.

Malta donates oxygen equipment to India

Barbara and his wife had flown to India early in April to adopt their daughter in April.

He died on Friday after developing complications minutes before he was set to board the air ambulance sent to fly him back to Malta. Reportedly, Barbara’s ashes have been brought to Malta.

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