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Most vaxxed country jabbed 119 per cent of its eligible population

Although it seems impossible, this country has vaccinated 119 per cent of its population. While that figure doesn’t add up, there’s an explanation.

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‘The most vaccinated country on earth’ — it’s a title that every nation would surely want to claim in the age of the Covid-19 pandemic.

But an unlikely country can boast just that after its population hit 119 per cent vaccinated at the end of last month.

Gibraltar, a British territory on Spain's southern coast, has a population of just 33,679 people but is the envy of the rest of the world.

As of September 30, just 1.04 per cent of its eligible adults haven’t had the Covid-19 vaccine.

According to Our World in Data, which tracks Covid-19 cases, deaths and vaccine rates across the world, the tiny nation is at the top of the charts with a 119 per cent vaccination rate.

That’s despite children under the age of 12 not yet able to receive their shot.

While 119 per cent might not add up, there’s an explanation for it.

Gibraltar is leading the world. Picture: Our World in Data
Gibraltar is leading the world. Picture: Our World in Data
The vaccine statistic came with an important disclaimer. Picture: Our World in Data
The vaccine statistic came with an important disclaimer. Picture: Our World in Data

Gibraltar has exceeded the enviable 100 per cent vaccination mark because it has also been doling out doses to nonresidents.

The territory reportedly has a huge number of workers who come from Spain, who received the jabs while in Gibraltar, making it part of their official tally.

The Gibraltarian government handed out the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine to people residing in the country 16 or older no matter their resident or visa status.

Health Minister Samantha Sacramento told AP that 40,000 had received their shot — which is more than the country’s total population, indicting they have a large foreign workforce.

View of the Rock of Gibraltar.
View of the Rock of Gibraltar.
The number of Covid-19 vaccinations administered per 100 people. The darker the colour, the better. Picture: Our World in Data
The number of Covid-19 vaccinations administered per 100 people. The darker the colour, the better. Picture: Our World in Data

The country has only experienced 97 Covid-19 deaths to date.

And as if you needed any more proof that the vaccines work, all those deaths were before the jab was widely available.

For comparison, the US, has fully vaccinated 56 per cent of its entire population — and on Saturday reached more than 700,000 deaths.

Australia stands at around 56 per cent fully vaccinated for those over 16.

Gibraltar is a tiny sovereign nation in southern Spain.
Gibraltar is a tiny sovereign nation in southern Spain.
The country is leading the world.
The country is leading the world.

In a staggering figure, the little nation hasn’t had a Covid-19 death since February 28 this year despite the surge of the delta strain around the world.

Between February and June, Gibraltar didn’t even have a single recorded Covid-19 case.

By mid-April, the country had given out 66,232 doses — which roughly equated to its entire population.

However, health officials reported that 3.5 per cent still hadn’t got the jab when they were eligible.

After recording a few new cases in July as the delta strain of the coronavirus arrived on its shores, the number of anti-vaxxers declined even further.

The 3.5 per cent figure went down to just 1.04 per cent, according to Gulf News.

Gibraltar has now administered at least 79,527 doses of Covid-19 vaccines so far, according to the latest data from Reuters.

The country has spent a total of two months in lockdown.

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/global/most-vaxxed-country-jabbed-119-per-cent-of-its-eligible-population/news-story/28dbeed5fbb5a821cdf24f4a25036280