I want to go to Serbia, which is a dark red country. It seems the Maltese authorities are insisting on acquiring an authorisation to go, which is almost always denied. I am 68 years old, so I have the required age to travel alone, without someone holding my hand. I also know that, on my return, I have to spend one week closed in my house (quarantine) since I live alone and am single. So I am not bothering anyone else. And I had the two doses as well as the booster. The booster was taken on January 17, 2022. Why is it that I still cannot travel to Serbia? – Peter Montebello

Across the EU, in order to control the spread of COVID-19, some restrictions to travel have been required. The impact of travel from countries with high rates of cases has been clear across the waves of this pandemic. At EU level, the European Council adopted ‘dark red’ classifications for the mapping of risk areas and set stricter measures for travellers from high-risk areas.

Malta has been adopting a hybrid approach with country classification as red zones and dark red zones, along with a person-based approach on their vaccination status. Specific authorisation is required for travellers to and from dark red countries/zones subject to an effective travel ban in accordance with the Travel Ban (Extension to all Countries) Order (SL 465. 26).

Approval for essential travel may be granted for persons travelling to and from dark red countries/zones, for returning Maltese citizens or residents for long stay/repatriation and other essential travel.

When will the red and dark red travel classifications be removed? – Marianne Micallef

As vaccination uptake is increasing worldwide, many countries, including Malta, are exploring the gradual move from the current hybrid country/person-based approach to a person-based approach and base travel restrictions on the vaccination status.

However, currently, there are still third countries with either a limited access to vaccines or a low vaccination rate. The current situation in Ukraine will also have an impact on the situation. The European Commission will be discussing the provisions in the EU Recommendation on Travel in due course to give time to third countries to increase their vaccination rates, including the administration of booster doses to ensure the validity of the vaccination certificates.

Are there any plans to remove or adequately reduce quarantine periods for residents or Maltese nationals returning to Malta without a certificate? – Daniele Ventorino

Malta’s experience has shown that reliance on a negative test only is not good enough for preventing local spread following importation of COVID-19 infections. The first weeks of July 2021, where passengers were allowed to enter Malta with a negative test only, resulted in major importation of infection; due to Malta’s population density being six times as much as the country with the next highest population density, infection spread quickly through the local community, resulting in a sharp wave.

This is plausible scientifically as, indeed, it is well known that cases would be shedding the virus as early as 24-48 hours before. Following the withdrawal of this option and allowing only fully vaccinated individuals to enter Malta without quarantine, the situation stabilised. This stable situation remained despite arrivals through the ports and airports being at 60 per cent the 2019 levels.

When will Malta start accepting proof of recovery and negative COVID test to enter and avoid 14 days of quarantine as per the EU Digital COVID Certificate Regulation and as per a recent recommendation by the European Council? – Eolo Barilari

Regarding recovery certificates, the guidance received from international public health bodies is still that recovery after COVID-19 infection is less protective against future infection and extent of spread than vaccination. Immune protection following infection with COVID-19 varies considerably between individuals, more than it does following the vaccine.

It has also been clearly demonstrated that immune escape is higher among those with no exposure to vaccination but only to the infection, as demonstrated by the high rate of re-infection with the Omicron variant in those infected with previous variants. Lastly, even if currently the prevalent variant is Omicron and one assumes that previous Omicron infection may possibly be protective, the high positivity rates around Europe clearly show that the epidemic is still very active and infecting a huge number of people, increasing the risk for the generation of newer variants to an unprecedented level.

Given previous experience outlined above, the protection granted by recovery only is unlikely to be protective in that case.