Health Ministry recruiting retired health professionals to help COVID contact tracing

The Superintendence of Public Health is trying to recruit retired and retiring public officers within the Healthcare Professional Grades to perform COVID-19 contact tracing duties.

In a notice published earlier this week, the Ministry for Health is inviting retired and retiring healthcare professionals under 70 years old to help the government’s COVID-19 response team.

Healthcare professionals are being recruited to investigate cases and carry out contact tracing to make sure that all close contacts are formally placed into quarantine.

They will also be tasked with advising cases and contacts on healthy lifestyles during quarantine, while using the record linkage software EpiLink to connect different health databases.

Health authorities are trying to grapple with an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases on the back of waning vaccine immunity, the highly transmissible Omicron variant, and increased holiday social interaction.

Additionally, an estimated 20,000 people are spending the holiday season in quarantine with over 7,700 people across Malta currently sick with COVID-19.

Rising cases have led to new restrictions. As of this week, all organised standing events have to be seated, while funerals and weddings can continue with existing protocols.

Establishments have to close at 1am, and sports events can continue without spectators.

Meanwhile, health officials are making headway in the booster vaccination drive. Almost 200,000 people have received a booster jab, with more expected to follow after registration opened for over-18s to receive their dose.