The best gift one can give their loved ones for the new year is to get vaccinated, EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides said on Wednesday.

In a tweet, the commissioner urged people to get vaccinated or get a booster jab.

“The best gift you can give your loved ones and everyone around you for New Year is to get vaccinated & boosted when possible,” the commissioner tweeted.

“Respect health measures, avoid crowded places, keep safe distance, wear a mask. Protecting yourself against Covid-19 is protecting others.”

According to data by the European Commission, within a year since vaccinations against Covid-19 started, more than 78 per cent of adults in the EU have been vaccinated.

The commission said that Europe is the most vaccinated region on the world, arguing that what has been achieved during 2021 as regards vaccinations was “a true European success story”.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said earlier in the month that the EU was the biggest donor of vaccines in the world as more than 350 million doses were given to low and middle income countries around the globe.