Keeping schools closed at the end of the month would have dire consequences on the lives of a whole generation, Health Minister Chris Fearne warned on Friday.

Fielding questions during a press conference, Fearne said it was “crucial” that students received an education as they could not afford to miss out on another year of schooling. 

“We are doing our utmost to ensure that students are safe and that all the measures are in place at schools,” Fearne said. 

The teachers’ unions have insisted that schools should not reopen on September 28 after the number of new COVID-19 cases spiked in recent days. 

The education authorities are currently in talks with the unions on the matter, but Times of Malta is informed that so far there has been no change in the decision on the reopening of schools.

Fearne meanwhile skirted a question on comments by health professionals, including Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci and doctors’ association chief Martin Balzan, on inconsistent messages on the COVID-19 situation.

In a paper published in the Journal of Community Health, five authors said that inconsistent messages earlier in summer from sectors “outside health” claiming that “everything is under control” gave false signals that the pandemic was over.

Asked whether he agreed with this position, the minister said the health authorities had always been consistent in their appeals to the public to remain vigilant and to take all necessary precautions to stop the spread of COVID-19.