Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Monday that the government will be removing all COVID-19 restrictions soon, although he gave no timeline on when this would happen. He also did not say if he has already discussed the issue with health experts. But, after days of celebrations that saw Labour Party supporters, without masks, marking the election victory, many are asking which restrictions are actually still being enforced: 

Quarantine

Despite significantly reducing quarantine in recent weeks, with primary contacts freed of the requirement to isolate if they are fully vaccinated and had their boosters, COVID-19 patients must still stay home for a week. It remains unclear whether this requirement will also be lifted, as has been the case elsewhere, such as the UK or Spain, or if people will still have to isolate once they test positive for the virus. 

Masks in schools, public transport, indoor public places

The use of masks in schools has been a hot issue for months, with many parents arguing it is unfair for students to wear them while they are not required in places such as restaurants and bars. Masks are also still mandatory on all public transport, including flights, despite widespread calls by international associations to drop the restrictions to help the industry get back on its feet.Face coverings must also be worn in indoor public places... like shops, supermarkets and offices but not bars and restaurants. 

Use of vaccine certificates

Vaccine certificates, which serve as proof that an individual has received the COVID-19 jabs, have been used widely for almost a year now. They are required for travel as well as for mass events, including sports.As with quarantine, it remains unclear whether the prime minister’s comment was referring to the COVID vaccine certificate. The use of the certificate to travel is a requirement in the EU and Malta even went a step further and tied the local one to the booster to encourage more people to get the additional dose.

Groups of six

Despite being blatantly ignored in recent weeks, public gatherings of groups larger than six are still technically illegal. The latest legal notice regulating the size of groups was published on June 4 last year when the number of people allowed to mingle in public was raised from four to six. This particular law has not been updated since.