The Malta Union of Teachers has given the government up to Thursday to take new measures to control the spread of COVID-19, while warning that some schools may soon suffer a teacher shortage because of the virus. 

The MUT became the second major organisation, within hours, to call for new measures and tougher enforcement, following a call earlier on Monday by the MAM doctors union.

The teachers' union said it was worried by the increase in new COVID-19 cases.

The high rate of new cases and of transmission was having an impact on schools. As expected, some positive cases had already been detected, and within a few days some schools may not have enough teachers because they were sick or in quarantine, the union said.

It insisted that it was the government's duty to ensure that schools had the necessary health and safety precautions in place.

But the protocols being followed in schools would count for nothing unless there were sufficient measures and strict enforcement outside.

It was clear that measures such as social distancing were not being sufficiently enforced everywhere. Other measures were too weak. In many cases, government officials were also giving conflicting signals. 

The union said it was therefore calling on the government to introduce new measures to stop the spread of the virus and improve enforcement by Thursday, It also gave notice that it would issue directives to safeguard the safety of educators.