The Nationalist Party said on Monday that it backed a call by the Chamber of SMEs to further reduce the quarantine period to five days for people who test positive for COVID-19.
It said it was doing so "given the weaker virulence of the Omicron variant, the massive number of active cases and the tens of thousands of people in quarantine."
The current situation is having a tremendous impact on the country's operations and economy, it said, even though the government was minimising the issue.
The Chamber of SMEs said earlier it was proposing to do away with quarantine requirements for vaccinated people who come in contact with virus cases and reduce it to five days for those who test positive.
People who have symptoms would have to stay at home until their symptoms clear up and at least 24 hours after they last had a fever, it said. They would not need to get tested before leaving quarantine.
The chamber said it was making these proposals to the government on the basis of recommendations made by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Vaccine certificates
The PN in its own statement also called for a proper structure to be in place for those who genuinely cannot take the vaccine, since they will be facing uncertainty ahead of January 17, when a valid vaccination certificate will be required for entry to most venues.
The government has said that certificates will be valid for nine months from the date of a booster shot but only three months from the second vaccine dose.
While it can require such certificates for access to domestic services, the EU has said that it is concerned about imposing such expiry dates on certificates for inter-EU travel purposes.
MIA said earlier on Monday that the rules make it harder for Maltese residents to travel than other Europeans and therefore put the airport at a "significant disadvantage" to others in the EU.
The PN echoed that point, saying in its statement that "the proposed system should also be reviewed to ensure it is fair and does not unnecessarily burden Maltese citizens, especially those travelling abroad, as highlighted by Malta International Airport," it said.
Wage supplement extension
The PN also reiterated its call for a wage supplement extension to specific sectors struggling most with the drop in tourism and cancelled bookings. It welcomed remarks by the prime minister on Sunday that this proposal is being considered and urges him to be specific.
PN also called on the government to stop ignoring calls to legalise COVID-19 self-testing kits.