Updated 11.52am with trade unions' statement  -

Restrictive measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 need to be increased immediately, the Malta Association of Public Health Medicine and the For.U.M. group of trade unions said on Wednesday.

In a statement a day after a record 336 new virus cases were detected, the association said Mater Dei Hospital is 'full to the brim, and we only have a handful of ITU beds left available.'

Other countries had gone into lockdown for a far lower rate of infections than was the case in Malta, it said.

"We are not advocating a full lockdown, but there is a need to introduce stricter measures to stop the current very high level of spread. None of us want to restrict activities so much that it hurts our families and businesses, but unfortunately this is the situation we are now in. Unless we make sacrifices now, we will end up suffering even more," the association said.

It pointed out that the risk has increased owing to new virus variants with a higher rate of spread. 

It said new measures should be aimed at reducing the mingling of people
from different households.

"All non-essential activities such as extra-curricular activities, and recreational activities should be restricted for some time. We must improve enforcement through adequate human resourcing and an increase in penalties for defaulters," the association said. 

Workers should also be told to work from home, where possible.

Trade unions group also wants more measures

The For.U.M. trade unions grouping on Wednesday also called for new measures to curb COVID-19. 

"Rather than a return to normality, the country has not only hit record numbers, but this occurred when 10% of the population has been vaccinated. The Christmas or Carnival periods cannot be blamed for this," the For.U.M.  said.

It urged the government to introduce temporary measures to control the situation as it had done in May, and again in October last year. These, it said, should include temporarily closing of establishments where people congregate indoors, remote working where possible, strict enforcement of mask-wearing and social distance measures and hefty fines for those ignoring the directives. These directives should remain in place until infections stabilise at the levels Malta had in the summer, the group said. 

The For.U.M represents 12 trade unions with 13,000 members, including the MUT teachers' union and the MUMN, representing nurses.

The association's warning joins other, similar calls for tighter restrictions made by doctors, nurses and the Nationalist Party, among others. 

On Tuesday, an association representing catering establishments also called for stricter enforcement of measures to prevent the spread of the virus, warning that a minority of rule-breakers risked ruining things for everyone else. 

The government has so far ruled out increasing virus restrictions, with Prime Minister Robert Abela saying he would abide by recommendations provided by health experts but noting that fines for public health contraventions could be increased.