Since I wrote about the criminal way Malta is ignoring the real threat of the pandemic on February 2, I have continued to follow developments.
Over the last week, new cases have reached new heights, with numbers per day hovering between 150 and 250 cases. On February 26, Malta hit 258 cases, on Sunday a new record of 263.
The 258 would translate into 45,150 cases in the UK and 54,150 in Germany. On the day I wrote this piece, the UK had 9,985 new cases (in Malta this would be equivalent to 57 cases) and Germany had 11,000 cases (52 in Malta).
Had the UK recorded 45,000 and Germany 54,000 cases in one day, there would have been an uproar and it would be all over the world press. Borders would be closed, new lockdown measures introduced and the government heavily criticised.
But in Malta just the opposite takes place. Lockdown measures are being relaxed and, soon, tourism will start to grow again because of vaccinations. Before we vaccinate 70 per cent of the population we will still have transmission and infections as well as deaths.
My last article appeared to have hit some raw nerves. It is time to rub salt into the open wound. Perhaps our prime minister, after having ignored the science, sounded the all-clear and declared ‘business as usual’, will see the light, like Saul.
Apologists rush to cover up his errors. They are wrong too. The Medical Association of Malta and others who issued warnings to the government were proven right. The only way to control the virus, as successful countries have shown, is lockdown and closure or total control of external borders.
I know that there are very serious risks to businesses; there is a constant erosion of assets accumulated by investors in the years of plenty following the 2008 crisis.
But pretending to be in control will only delay recovery and cause greater losses: that is why just carrying on is criminal and policies must be revised.
Businesses are protected by limited liability and stand to lose only their invested capital.
They can live off their savings or realise some of their saved assets put aside in good times.
By opening its shops, restaurants, schools, airport and port, Malta went for the herd immunity theory
Employees, on the other hand, have their livelihoods to lose. All of us are losers and the pandemic will not let go by being ignored. We have to ride it out by eating into all our reserves, national and private.
There is only one business that is invaluable and that is the business of living. Whether one is unborn, 10, 40, 60 or 90 years old, life is priceless and it is criminal to sacrifice the old and the infirm.
I have heard arguments that one cannot compare countries because each country has a different geography, population density, weather, healthcare preparedness, etc. I understand that too. Yet, there is often nothing more effective than to look beyond our tiny horizon and to learn from others.
I look at the low population-density Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.
Having lived and worked in Sweden for 20 years, I know it extremely well. I own and visit a summer house there regularly. I read, write and speak Swedish and follow their news. I was also ambassador to Denmark and Sweden.
From the beginning, Swedish politicians were persuaded to opt for herd immunity by an ethnic experimental scientist, Anders Tegnell, while everyone else around them was locking down to protect the old and the weak.
This strategy in May 2020 produced 3,646 deaths while Finland had 293 and Denmark 537. Malta then had just four deaths.
By December, Sweden had reached 8,170 deaths while Finland 539 and Denmark 1,206, twice the number in May. Malta had risen from four to 200, or 50 times more than in May.
In the second wave, Sweden continued with its experiment in openness while Finland and Denmark reintroduced lockdowns and restrictions. They also protested against their neighbour, criticising Sweden for failing to exercise a socialist attitude of care for its citizens and for experimenting on its aged, exposing them willingly to risks for the greater good. Even Swedes began to protest against the experiment.
The King of Sweden declared the country’s coronavirus a failure and its socialist prime minister apologised to the population on TV for the mistakes made.
The country changed its policies to bring them in line with those of their neighbours. The people who died will never be brought back and it will take time for Sweden to get over this disaster.
For the second wave, Malta seems to have adopted the Swedish model. By opening its shops, restaurants, schools, airport and port and by failing to enforce hygiene and social distance rules, Malta went for the herd immunity theory and let loose.
From 200 in December, deaths in two months have gone up to over 300, overtaking both Finland and Denmark in deaths per million.
We have too few protests in Malta, no king to talk to us from the heart and expose the flawed policy; our president is quiet as a lamb, ready to sweep the past under the carpet for the sake of unity, and no prime minister is ready to apologise and reverse policy.
Sweden was wrong for a whole year but realised this and is now trying to correct its error. Its prime minister, Stefan Löfven, is to be recognised for standing up and admitting he was wrong.
On February 26, deaths totalled 304 in Malta, 231 in Cyprus and 63 in Madeira. The charts, above, show deaths per million to compare like with like.
The three islands have similar economies. The differences in numbers can only be explained by differences in policy.
Those who followed medical and scientific advice have fared better. Malta has failed.
John Vassallo, former ambassador to the EU.