Restaurants and events will be allowed to go back to "pre-COVID" distances from Monday, as long as they restrict entry to a maximum of 300 vaccinated people. 

Health Minister Chris Fearne had already announced the rules would change in November. Now, the latest mitigation measures by the government published on Saturday confirm the new rules come into force on Monday. 

This means that for restaurants and seated events where entry is restricted to fully vaccinated patrons, social distancing will finally be a thing of the past. 

The distance between tables can be that of "pre-COVID", the mitigation measures documents state, while the number of people sitting around a table will not be capped. 

This marks the first time since the pandemic hit in March 2020 that any sector has gone back to the so-called "pre-COVID" rules. 

Mask-wearing will remain mandatory unless the attendees are eating or drinking and those serving them or performing must also be fully vaccinated. 

If the number of new cases remained stable, the government has said measures will also be lifted for stand-up events from mid-November.

Malta could also go back to having pre-COVID social gatherings for the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations. 

Although the numbers of cases and deaths have spiked across Europe, Malta currently has the lowest number of new cases rate. The positivity rate - the number of COVID-19 cases detected from the tests carried out - is currently at around 0.7 per cent. 

Public health chief Charmaine Gauci has told Times of Malta the rate is a very encouraging one.