Enterprise Minister Mirian Dalli said on Wednesday that she was in contact with Health Minister Chris Fearne and the health authorities following calls by business lobbies for a reduction of COVID-19 quarantine periods.
Business groups as well as the Nationalist Party, have called for a shorter quarantine period, pointing out that the high number of people who cannot go to work is impacting the economy.
The Malta Chamber of Commerce said on Wednesday that the government should cut isolation periods to 10 days, with fully vaccinated contacts of people who test positive for COVID-19 required to quarantine for seven days – half the current requirement.
Times of Malta calculated on Tuesday that at least 20,000 people – and more likely close to 30,000 - are currently in quarantine, as the country experiences a massive spike in virus infections.
The Malta Association of Public Health Medicine said on Tuesday that patients are mostly contagious in the few days before and after onset of symptoms.
Several other countries have reduced quarantine periods.
Dalli said talks are in hand "to see how to address this issue" while urging more people to take the booster shot.
COVID wage supplement
The minister reiterated the government's decision to extend the wage supplement scheme till the end of January, pledging to protect workers and businesses during the surging pandemic.
Asked whether the government is ready to extend the scheme further if the current pandemic spike persists, the minister said the situation was constantly under review.
"We will provide the necessary, targeted help where it is needed the most," she said.
"That is what this government has always done, and we will continue to ensure that we are there for our workers and businesses."
The Nationalist Party is urging the government to retain the scheme till March.
Malta Enterprise CEO Kurt Farrugia said that the government has so far forked out more than €680 million in schemes for businesses and workers.
The largest chunk of that - €653 million - went into the wage supplement scheme, which provided wages to more than 105,000 employees in more than 17,500 businesses impacted by COVID-19.
The scheme will be retained with the current conditions, meaning employers will be granted €800 per month for each eligible full-time employee.
Farrugia said another 4,000 workers have been provided with electronic equipment to work from home and some 5,000 businesses were granted €13 million in rent refunds.
The government forked out almost another €7 million in electricity bill refunds and €9 million to fund quarantine leave.