It was a simple black-and-white photograph that instantly cut through the chaos and crisis of the novel coronavirus outbreak: two intensive care nurses, supporting each other as they steeled themselves for the arrival of COVID-19 patients at Mater Dei Hospital’s Intensive Treatment Unit.

When it was sent to Times of Malta by one of the nurses, who admitted anxiety levels were “sky high” when the image was captured, it had an immediate impact. This image of courage in the face of adversity was the obvious choice as a front-page picture.

When we also shared it to our social media channels, thousands of people shared it along with their thoughts and prayers for the medical staff.

The ITU nurses picture struck a chord.

These nurses know they are not immune. Their medical colleagues are among the hundreds of people in Malta who have already contracted the virus. Yet, every day they don the clothing they hope will protect them and their families in order to help the most vulnerable people: coronavirus patients needing intensive care.

Theirs is an example that those in authority ought to follow.

This week, Times of Malta carried two worrying reports on decisions that impact other vulnerable and marginalised people. One of them concerned the fractious issue of migration.

Successive administrations have made clear their frustration with most other EU member states who seem reluctant to help resettle migrants and asylum seekers.

Maltese governments have tried to find other ways to resolve the issue, such as negotiating with Libya for the coast guard to return those at sea to a country condemned for its human rights abuses.

A diplomatic message sent via Germany has now informed NGO rescue ships that Malta will no longer take in any migrants the vessels save.

The government appears to be deciding not to shoulder its moral responsibility, underpinned by various EU agreements, to save vulnerable people in distress at sea.

While the reason for the decision has not been communicated, the timing during the pandemic is convenient.

The second worrying decision made this week involves another section of society, suddenly made vulnerable by coronavirus: non-EU children whose parents are in the process of challenging a decision to deport them on the grounds of their parents’ income.

In a move that appears to breach the Immigration Act, Identity Malta asked the children to leave Malta “as soon as possible”.

The CEO of Identity Malta informed them in a letter that this was because the Immigration Appeals Board has been suspended due to measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

When Times of Malta highlighted the story, the government was forced to issue a statement against the state agency, saying it should not have sent the letters.

One would hope that neither the government nor one of its agencies would use the coronavirus as an excuse to solve its difficult problems and abandon the most vulnerable members of society.

There is a famous World War I recruitment poster that shows a daughter posing a question to her father: “Daddy, what did you do during the Great War?”

Years from now, the question could also be posed: “What did you do during the pandemic?”

Many people on the frontline of coronavirus, including the two nurses in the photo, will be able to answer that question with ease.

Let’s hope all those in authority, who are similarly responsible for the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable, will have as clear a conscience.