Vaccination programme

In a few hours’ time, I should be done with the vaccinations against COVID. But I have another invite to start the process all over again. Phoning 145 in order not to let my slot be wasted led me nowhere. No one picked up the phone.

As we live in a country when a scandal or two is announced with regularity, I wonder whether parallel invites are being sent out to a chosen cohort of citizens with the right pedigree knowing that others will not be turning up on those dates.

Conspiracy, I hope so, but this is what we have been reduced to in this country.  As Minister Chris Fearne signs all these letters, the buck stops with him.

Salvu Felice Pace – Għasri

The COVID-19 pandemic

Some people still do not wear the mask properly. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Well, now, surprise, surprise, the whole population of these Maltese islands of ours is in real mortal danger!

Why? Precisely because the top medical authorities in these islands were not following their gut feelings. They were weak enough and so spineless as to be overruled by an incompetent, narcissistic, ‘Trump-like’ prime minister.

Of course, this COVID-19 crisis has been on the cards for a very long time.

How can one forget the stupid comments, coming from the PM’s mouth, that we were living in Heaven and that the COVID-19 virus was just a wave in the ocean.

It is now a tsunami and not a wave.

What is the prime minister doing about this crisis? Will he continue to ensure that the economy remains stable, at the expense of so many hundreds of Maltese people dying?

Why oh why did he not, in the last months, test everybody coming from abroad at Malta International Airport, unless they had a recent negative test from their country to show to our airport authorities?

Furthermore, a cruise ship has been arriving in Malta weekly. None of the  passengers was tested as they set foot on our islands and shed the virus! Are these not the very first actions which should have been implemented, weeks before the very long overdue order ensuring that our restaurants were closed?

As a family physician, I pray that he will find an answer to this apocalyptic crisis.

Finally, the prime minister should never forget that the health of the population is more important than the country’s economy!

Raymond Bencini – Żebbuġ

Entrenched misbehaviour

Now that we have an inevitable second lockdown, given our inconsistent ‘leadership’ and widespread irresponsible behaviour, I would make a plea for a strong public education campaign for all of our sakes.

In these recent weeks, I have heard (from ‘educated’ people) that “masks don’t work” (while not even wearing their cloth equivalent of a stripper’s G-string round their chin) and “the new variants are not as lethal”. Useless trying to talk sense to those who won’t listen.

Please, can we have a no-holds-barred front-page campaign informing people about scientific facts regarding this virus? Such as are available from reputable overseas sources (which the local know-alls are not reading, obviously).

Let us make a serious effort to get out of this once and for all, bringing the recalcitrant COVID vandals on board.

Anna Micallef – Sliema

A drastic measure

Drastic times call for drastic measures. So let’s put aside partisan politics during these times of hardship.

Gozitans appear to be up the creek without the proverbial paddle. Party politics aside, now is the time to put Chris Said in the Gozo ministry to work alongside the present minister.

As the saying goes, two heads are better than one, though one head in particular is well proven to be more hands on when it comes to decision-taking and action rather than talk. In recent times, the incumbent one is totally silent when real action is called for.

I’m fully aware many will consider this a stupid idea but partisan politics have been put aside in many parts of the world over many decades in order to benefit its people. So, working together politically for all Gozitans has to be a good thing, or am I simply dreaming again?

Bill Hopkinson – Xagħra

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