Two additional COVID-19 swabbing centres will start being used in the coming days, focused on rapid testing, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Wednesday. 

Malta currently has six swabbing centres. 

One of the two new centres will be at the grounds of Boffa Hospital in Floriana while the second rapid testing centre will be located in the north of the island. The minister did not say where this centre will be located. 

Fearne said the authorities expect to carry out about 1,000 rapid tests daily. Some 20,000 testing kits arrived in Malta on Tuesday with another 50,000 expected by next week. 

Initially, the tests will be used for healthcare workers, those working with the elderly and at the airport. Schools and primary healthcare will also soon have such tests, Fearne said. 

Rule of six

On the latest rule banning groups of six people in public, Fearne admitted the authorities could not enforce this in private homes but said people should be responsible enough to not invite over too many people.

“People should use their civic duty and make sure they are taking care of themselves as well as others,” he said. 

The same applied to other regulations, he said, again urging people to not try to find loopholes whenever new measures are introduced. 

Asked by Times of Malta why, unlike in other countries, he rarely gave updates on the situation himself despite being the country’s health minister, Fearne said some urged him to take a step back while others called for him to take political responsibility. 

“But I agree, I do think that politicians should be present more on this because ultimately the decisions we take have an impact,” he said.