The doctors’ union has expressed its deep concern about the “high-risk decision” taken by Prime Minister Robert Abela to start re-open businesses after the COVID-19 measures, saying he was putting economic interests before health.
On Sunday, Abela announced that restaurants and hairdressers would be allowed to reopen by the end of the week, albeit with strict measures.
In a strong statement on Monday morning reacting to the decision, the Medical Association of Malta said the high number of cases last week for four consecutive days occurred exactly two weeks after the first easing of measures by the government.
Unfortunately, it said, people were given the impression that wearing a surgical mask protects them from COVID-19 so many people were failing to comply with social distancing rules, and many vulnerable groups such as the elderly could be seen outside shops.
As a result of the latest figures, Malta moved up to the top twenty nations in the global world meter scale for COVID-19 cases, having twice the number of daily cases per population when compared to Italy, Spain and Germany.
“The country may have lost eight weeks because we now have the numbers we had two months ago. This is most unfortunate as to date Malta has had the lowest death rate in the European Union. Just one infected patient in a single ward led to at least 10 COVID-19 cases among health care workers, three wards to be closed temporarily for disinfection, and tens of health care workers put on quarantine,” the MAM said.
It said the tests show that five of every 1,000 of the population are asymptomatic carriers while 100 people referred for testing by medical doctors every day do not turn up for swabbing, at great risk to the Maltese community.
“The rising numbers should have advised more caution rather than a very hazardous move of reopening restaurants and bars, a move which has led to major problems in Japan, Singapore and South Korea, who had to regret this decision and reverse it soon after,” it said.
The association said it sympathised with workers in the tourism and leisure industry and their call for an early easing of measures. However, more COVID-19 cases could further harm the industry, “rendering impossible any notion of safe corridor”.
“MAM is disappointed that the government is putting economic interests before health and appeals to the Maltese public to remain very alert and cautious and as much as possible keep social distancing and avoid any form of crowding in public places. Staying at home remains the safest option,” it said.