MUMN and ACE issue statements welcoming new vaccine certificate travel restrictions

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) and the Association of Catering Establishments (ACE) have welcomed new measures announced by the health minister relating to vaccine certificates.

Yesterday Malta announced that it was banning all unvaccinated visitors from entry into the island in a reaction to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

In a statement on Saturday, the union said the COVID-19 vaccine was the most important tool to stop the spread of the virus and its certification was “much more reliable than any PCR test.”

MUMN welcomed the measures which were launched yesterday during a press conference by Hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne in which it was announced that people without a recognized vaccine certificate would not be allowed into Malta as from the 14 July. “This was also the appeal made by the Forum Unions Maltin which felt it was the right step both for the front liners and for our economy,” said the union.

MUMN lauded as a “very courageous step” the announcement that unvaccinated people cannot travel outside the country unless special permission is granted by the Superintendent of Public Health and would need to quarantine if such permission is granted. “Such measure is good news to all frontlines and most especially to all patients in hospitals and elderly institutions.”

The measure is aimed at preventing the importation of new strains of COVID into Malta by unvaccinated Maltese citizens who decide to go abroad.

“These measures accompanied by other measures such as the banning of mass events and more enforcement should be the way forward and be the new normal,”

Therefore, MUMN welcomes the new measures introduced yesterday most especially those related to the vaccine certificate since unvaccinated people pose an exceedingly high risk to the spread of the virus.  

Catering Association voices support, says tourism labour force is equally important to managing COVID-19

The Association for Catering Establishments (ACE) also said it strongly supported Fearne’s statement. “ACE insists on the need for its members to support the current positive business vibe, by encouraging among their employees the need to be vaccinated.”

“It is imperative that all those who are reluctant to get jabbed assume their responsibilities bearing in mind that they are doing so to the detriment of the business community in general and their fellow citizens as well.”

The association also urged restauranteurs to encourage their management and staff to get vaccinated. It mooted the idea of an initiative involving the government and the business community aimed at officially recognizing businesses, whose staff compliment are vaccinated in their majority, as a “COVID-compliant establishment.”

The ACE said it disagreed with the description of the Tourism Ministry’s focus on the UK tourist market being a ‘poisoned chalice’, explaining that it is important to keep in mind that this source market has generated 650,000 tourists in 2019 - practically one fourth of all tourists present in Malta.

ACE stressed that while health precautions were necessary, the sustainability of the hospitality sector which employs a labour force of more than 25,000 employees “is equally as important as the needs of managing COVID-19 as best we can.”

ACE urged caution and respect for the health ministry’s guidelines, warning that “whilst the second restaurant shut down was a catastrophic blow, a third closure should not ever be considered.”