Doctors: Maltese expecting decisive COVID-19 action ‘with no half-measures’

The Medical Association of Malta said it was preoccupied by statements from Prime Minister Robert Abela, whom it said “does not appear to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation for public health and the economy” as COVID-19 cases continue to grow.

MAM warned that it will reactivate all its directives as from Tuesday if government measures to control the COVID-19 spike fall short of its expectations.

MAM said there was no place for discos, bars, parties on land or on sea, or any gathering of any kind for more than 10 standing people, and that these should be closed or forbidden with immediate effect. It said mask wearing and social distancing must be made compulsory and enforced by the police.

It also said all Maltese citizens returning from abroad should be requested to swab or quarantine on arrival, while tourists should be obliged to swab 72 hours before visiting the island, to and from all destinations.

“Particularly worrisome are misleading comments which have no basis in science, but have been repeated ad nauseam by the tourism industry,” MAM president Martin Balzan said of Abela’s comments on Sunday.

“It is blatantly untrue that Malta has the lowest number of cases but on the contrary, it has the highest number of new cases in the last two weeks per population in the EU, even after excluding migrants arriving by boat. While there were no deaths to date, as deaths lag 3-6 weeks after turning positive, this fact does not afford much re-assurance.”

Balzan said that while the quoted data on swabbing was statistically correct, the reason for swabbing was to control the epidemic by identifying contacts and isolating them to prevent spread.

“Swabbing decreases rather than increases numbers during an epidemic. The statement that more people die of influenza is of no consolation to anybody, however every individual in Malta has access to a vaccine making the comparison of influenza with covid a total nonsense.

“Furthermore, while the prime minister was on holiday in Sicily three patients were in intensive care, 40 hospitalized, with 11 new cases in care homes. Vulnerable patients must be protected at all costs.”