Is the green list a safety mark?

The recent announcement by the UK government that Malta was only on the amber list in that country’s traffic light system of judging whether a country is safe to travel to took us here in Malta all by surprise. But does being on the green list really signify that those countries on it are really safe to travel to? 

How ironic is it that Israel is still at number one on the UK’s green list or are these traffic light lists only relevant to COVID-19 concerns and not other clear and present dangers? You might not catch COVID in Israel but, at this time, there is a good chance of you being ensconced in a war zone, so does green really equate to ‘safe’? 

Last time I looked there is no vaccine against bombs or bullets! 

Jacqueline Vella – Mellieħa

Hazards citizens face very day

Dangerous zebra crossing

Days ago, I sent an e-mail to the local council drawing its attention to the uneven (bumpy) zebra crossing (painted in orange since traffic in Eucharistic Congress Road, Mosta, was rediverted) and to a large hole located exactly next to a sleeping policeman in Triq Anġlu Gatt corner with Eucharistic Congress Road.

I received the usual automatic reply that if it is within the remit of the council, it will see what it can do, otherwise it will forward my e-mail to the department concerned. In this case, Transport Malta. Whether the council did or not, I don’t know as it did not copy me as used to be done years ago.

To date, nothing has been done to have the problems solved and walking in the areas mentioned is dangerous. A sprained ankle or a fall is as easy as ABC. But the authorities do not care, not even about those with special needs, especially anyone with a vision impairment and the elderly. Dealing with certain authorities in Malta is like flogging a dead horse. Which is a shame!

While on the subject, may I remind the authorities that most of our pavements are also not fit for walking. The ramps in front of garages are dangerous to life and limb as has been proved many times. But still, permits are being given for pavements to be built like fdewwex (a type of wavy pasta) by those who do not care about the safety of citizens. Sorry, but this is all I have to say. Shame on you!

Emily Barbaro-Sant – Mosta

Variant warning

Despite the bitter disappointment locally, the UK’s decision to keep us off the green tourist list may be a blessing in disguise. On May 14, the hitherto bull in a china shop, Boris Johnson, was taking an extremely cautious line in view of a worrying cluster of the COVID Indian variant within UK borders. Indeed, this variant has now turned up in 50 countries.

Norman Swan (ABC/RN Coronacast) stated that this new 617.2 variant appears to have an ‘R’ (transmission) rate of 8. The Wuhan devastating original virus ‘only’ packed an R factor of 2.4. The 617.2 (one of the variants circulating in India) has also cropped up in a cluster in Singapore’s Changi Airport and in Australia via the US.

We do not know whether the horrific ‘8’ figure is that bad because of difficulty of social distancing in India.

Nor do we know whether or not this (and others which will inevitably morph) unwelcome variant can evade the vaccines we have available.

This points to the need for the local authorities to be very circumspect when it comes to opening wide for tourists. As important as this is, what would be the use of opening up for what is not likely to be a bumper season only to have to close up yet again for another lockdown in a few months’ time? Will this not cause more economic pain for longer?

When we have done so well with our vaccine roll-out (for once, Malta is top of the class in something other than corruption and criminal behaviour), it would be a pity to see this go up in smoke by our own carelessness. We are an island. The virus will not come to us from outer space.

Anna Micallef – Sliema

Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@timesofmalta.com. Please include your full name, address and ID card number. The editor may disclose personal information to any person or entity seeking legal action on the basis of a published letter.