Maltese vaccine optimism drops, but trust in science holds

Vaccine scepticism has increased significantly in Malta, rising from just 3% in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic to 26% now. Despite this shift, the vast majority (69%) of Maltese still believe vaccine research will have a positive impact, according to a recent Eurobarometer survey.

The survey reveals that the number of Maltese who expect vaccine research to have a positive outcome has dropped by 24 percentage points since 2021.

In the survey, respondents were asked about various areas where new technologies are being developed. They were asked whether they believed these technologies would have a positive, negative, or no effect on their way of life in the next 20 years.

Across the EU, the percentage of respondents who expect a positive outcome from advances in the field has also decreased by nine points. However, at 77%, vaccine optimism remains higher than in Malta. More than nine in 10 respondents in Sweden (95%), Denmark and Finland (both 93%), and Portugal (91%) think new technologies in vaccines and combating infectious diseases will have a positive effect. The lowest proportions are seen in Romania (50%), Slovenia (57%), and Latvia (60%). The survey suggests that while the Maltese generally tend to be optimistic about scientific and technological advances, they are becoming more hesitant on certain topics, such as vaccines. Among the topics mentioned, the Maltese were most positive about advances in renewable energy, with 89% expecting a positive impact, and in information technology, where 88% foresee benefits for society. On both topics, the Maltese rank among the most optimistic in Europe. On renewable energy, the Maltese are slightly more positive than respondents in the EU as a whole (87%). However, they are less optimistic than the Swedes (95%) but far more optimistic than the Romanians (62%). On information technology, they are slightly less optimistic than the Irish (89%) but much more optimistic than the Romanians (62%). Compared to the EU as a whole, the Maltese are also more positive in their outlook towards brain enhancement technologies and artificial intelligence.

The Maltese are among the least likely to expect a positive outcome from further research on nuclear energy. The survey shows that in 16 EU countries, the proportion of those who believe new technologies in nuclear energy will have positive effects has increased since 2021. The largest increases were observed in Denmark (66%, +22 pp), France (66%, +21 pp), and Germany (44%, +19 pp). On the other hand, in eight EU countries, respondents are now less likely to be positive about nuclear energy, with the largest decline seen in Malta (49%, -13 pp). The Maltese are also less optimistic about the outcome of research on space exploration, with only 54% expecting a positive impact. The belief that space exploration will have a positive effect on life in the next 20 years is most widely held in Greece (76%), Czechia (75%), and Hungary (74%). Respondents in Romania (50%), Malta (54%), and France and Austria (both 56%) are the least likely to predict a positive effect. However, while the Maltese are sceptical about some aspects of

scientific research, they are surprisingly more likely to believe that there should be no limit to what science is allowed to investigate. While 63% of respondents in Malta endorsed this statement, only 46% of respondents in the EU as a whole agreed. Moreover, the overall influence of science and technology on society is considered positive by 83% of the Maltese.