Confusion abounds over which ‘frontline’ personnel should be getting vaccinated, as supermarkets make a desperate bid to get in line. Meanwhile, a construction company is set to finish inoculating its employees this week.
Hundreds of supermarket employees have just signed a petition to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
However, the deputy CEO of major supermarkets PAMA and PAVI said he had contacted the health authorities over the matter to no avail.
“I have been trying my best to get the staff vaccinated since they are in constant contact with the public and should be considered frontliners,” Malcolm Camilleri said.
The petitioners argue that because they are exposed to so many people every day, it is unfair that their safety has been put second to “a government worker in an office”.
Since the vaccine rollout began, several categories of non-medical frontliners have been bumped up the vaccine waiting list.
They include police officers, armed forces and civil protection personnel, teachers, university staff, as well as employees of water services, Wasteserv and other government agencies.
However, Times of Malta is informed that Bonnici Brothers Ltd has also been offered the jab for its workforce, despite there being no indication from the health authorities that construction companies are being given priority.
They are in constant contact with the public and should be considered frontliners
Half of the employees at Bonnici Brothers were vaccinated last week and the rest will be given the jab on Thursday, according to a staff member.
Yet, five other construction companies contacted by Times of Malta said they had not received any notification for their staff to take the vaccine and were not aware this was even possible.
Taxi drivers registered with Transport Malta have also reported being given the vaccine.
Ironmongers, stationers and supermarkets, which will remain open throughout the shutdown, said they had not been offered the jab.
Questions sent to the health authorities had not been answered at the time of writing.
A shutdown was ordered last week in response to record numbers of daily cases of COVID-19, with Malta registering one of the highest infection rates in the world. All non-essential services and shops, as well as schools, have been closed until April 11.
But while the country has been able to boast of a relatively fast vaccine rollout, controversies have been rife.
Some schools have complained of their teachers having been “forgotten” in spite of an agreement between their union and the government for early vaccination.
In January, the PN had called for greater transparency on vaccine rollout over questions to do with supply as well as responsibility and coordination of the effort.