The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that a country’s strategy to curb COVID-19 should be scientifically sound and culturally acceptable.
It says the country should adapt its response to the context, citizens’ perceptions and what they find acceptable.
This would ensure they comply with guidance and contribute to reducing and stopping the virus spread, a WHO spokesperson told Times of Malta.
The organisation, whose role is to direct international health responses, was asked for its views on how Malta is tackling the second wave of the pandemic, particularly since, unlike some other countries, it has not imposed a lockdown.
Malta has introduced mandatory mask-wearing, restricted the size of groups meeting in public, closed bars and imposed some restrictions on catering establishments.
The measures were prompted by a sharp rise in COVID cases over the past few weeks.
Prime Minister Robert Abela recently ruled out a total lockdown and dismissed speculation about more severe measures being introduced to curb the pandemic. Meanwhile, in the last few weeks, several European countries have entered various degrees of shutdown.
We know it is never too late to stop the virus
WHO’s position on lockdowns and other severe movement restrictions has been consistent since the onset of the pandemic.
While physical distancing and movement restrictions – often referred to as “shutdowns” – may slow COVID transmission, they can have “a profound negative impact” on individuals and communities by bringing social and economic life to a near stop, the WHO maintains.
These measures disproportionately affect disadvantaged groups who most often live in overcrowded and under-resourced settings and depend on daily labour for subsistence, its spokesperson continued.
In the eventuality of a lockdown, governments must build their capacities to detect, isolate, test and care for all cases, trace and quarantine all contacts and empower populations “to drive the societal response and more”, the WHO advised.
“While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, we recommend that countries use the experience they have gained and the lessons learned in fighting this pandemic and apply them to bring the curve back down.”
The WHO spokesperson added that many governments had decided to introduce restrictions in a more time-limited, localised way to break the chains of transmission and to avoid national lockdowns.
“We know it is never too late to stop the virus, and with the knowledge we have about COVID, the experience and lessons learned 10 months into this pandemic, we now know what works and what does not.
“This is a critical moment for all society to take action to curb transmission,” WHO stressed.