Thermal screening for Gozo Channel passengers may be reintroduced and the onboard air-conditioning system possibly switched off as government reviews its COVID-19 measures.

A Gozo Ministry spokeswoman was replying to questions by Times of Malta asking why certain safeguards, which had been in place at the start of the outbreak, had not been reintroduced as active coronavirus cases rise to record levels.

At the end of March, when the number of active cases was a third of the number it is now, Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri had announced a ban on non-essential travel, saying this was “no time for weekend breaks”. Those still eligible to travel were being thermally screened to ensure that nobody showing symptoms would be allowed to embark.

Passenger capacity was reduced to half to allow for social distancing on board, ships were being disinfected every night, air conditioning units were switched off and ferry doors were left open to improve air circulation. 

These restrictions had resulted in a huge drop in traffic between the islands, to the point that the additional ferry deployed last year, the MV Nikolaus, was temporarily pulled out of service.

Restrictions started being relaxed at the start of June when passengers were no longer screened. The Nikolaus was put back into service at the end of the month.

With cases in sharp decline, the situation was practically back to normal by July when Gozo emerged as a popular alternative destination for those who had ditched their plans for a holiday abroad.

Though use of masks has remained mandatory throughout, enforcement left much to be desired and it was only recently that controls were beefed up again.

However, there have been no calls to avoid non-essential travel to Gozo, which would deal a blow to the accommodation industry. The vessels are regularly seen crossing the channel crowded and the ships are only being disinfected every few days, according to sources.

In its reply, the Gozo Ministry said disinfection was still being carried out though it did not specify the frequency.

According to the spokeswoman, capacity is still limited to half. As for the screening of passengers and the matter of air conditioning, she said discussions were under way with the health authorities.

The ministry pointed out that police officers were randomly boarding the ferries to enforce the wearing of masks.

When asked how many fines had been issued, the police said the question should be referred to the environmental health department. The questions remained unanswered by the time of writing.