The MAM doctors' union said on Thursday that new government standards to limit the number of people at mass events because of COVID-19 were 'too little, too late' and industrial action it warned about on Wednesday would still go ahead.

In a statement after a press conference by Health Minister Chris Fearne, the union said it welcomed the fact that the government authorities were now acknowledging the problem with mass events.

However, the suggested measures did not go far enough.

"It is clear that the party promoters have had their way with the politicians as this will not protect the Maltese public at all," the union said. 

It said it was reliably informed that public health specialists were not consulted and had been presented with a fait accompli in which their advice was not sought.

"The MAM is very disappointed that mass events with thousands of revellers have not been cancelled and the government intends to forge ahead as planned, making band marches the sacrificial lamb," the union added. 

"The fact that no regulations are going to be published and no fines have been announced, and the organisers are encouraged to self enforce will not work in practice, and the free-for-all seen at the Radisson party will definitely repeat itself." 

The union asked why a public health emergency was not declared and insisted this could not be business as usual as the pandemic was still raging and the people in Malta deserved to be protected.  

The union said its council would meet on Friday morning to finalise the directives.

In his press conference, Fearne said he intended to have talks with the doctors union as well as the union representing nurses, which has also threatened industrial action.