[WATCH] COVID-19: Clubs, bars and discos to close from Wednesday

Clubs, bars and discos will close from Wednesday and only those with restaurants will remain open, Health Minister Chris Fearne said.

Fearne alongside Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci announced the new restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19 on Monday morning.  

New measures:

• Bars and nightclubs will be closed, only those with restaurants will be allowed to remain open.
• Boat parties will be stopped. Harbour cruises to be allowed, with social distancing.
• No gatherings of groups of more than 15 people.
• Masks will be mandatory in closed public spaces, apart from in restaurants.  
• Weddings will have to be held in a seated environment, with food and drink served at the table. 
• New amber list introduced, those countries on the list will need to produce a COVID-19 negative result in the last 48 hours. Those who do not produce the certificate will either have to do a swab test there and then or go into quarantine. This will come into force at midnight on Friday. 

Fearne highlighted that since the start of the pandemic almost 50,000 inspections were made on people under quarantine. He said the new measures were aimed at reducing the spread in the community. 

Previously 

On Sunday, Prime Minister Robert Abela said in a Facebook post that new measures would be announced on Monday following a “constructive meeting” with Fearne and Gauci. 

“New measures will be announced tomorrow to limit the rate of infections while ensuring that matters remain under control,” Abela said. 
He also insisted on a balanced approach. 

On Sunday, Malta recorded 63 new coronavirus cases, bringing the number of active cases to 537. 

This was the second-highest number of new cases notified, after Saturday’s record number of 72. 

On Monday morning, the Medical Association of Malta (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 at 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.

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

Reacting to statements made by the PM on Sunday, MAM said that Abela “does not appear to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation for public health and the economy.”

“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.”