LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – As Malta gears up for the reopening of the tourist season as from 1 June, travellers will be denied boarding unless they produce a negative Covid-19 test or a vaccination certificate. The documentation will also be requested upon arrival in Malta and passengers who fail to do so will be subjected to a PCR test and mandatory quarantine at a place designated by the Public Health Superintendent. The costs of the test and mandatory quarantine accommodation will have to be borne by the individual. Children under five years of age are exempt from the requirements.
Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela said that after the successful vaccination roll out, with over 70% of the adult population having received at least one dose, the next step will be to put the vaccination certificate into action. The certificate, Abela said, will facilitate travel and will be a precursor to an EU-wide certification process.
Addressing the press conference, Maltese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne said that Malta is in talks with a number of countries to agree on mutual recognition of certificates. Moreover, the EU is expected to introduce a similar certification system covering the whole bloc.
Fearne confirmed 48% of the adult population is fully vaccinated. He said the vaccination is working, and this is reflected in the dwindling numbers of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19. Currently, Fearne says, only three patients are receiving treatment for Covid-19 at Mater Dei Hospital.
Maltese Prime Minister added that if the number of new cases remain low, masks will no longer remain mandatory in July. This will only apply for fully vaccinated people. The total number of active cases now stands at 66. Malta registered 30,535cases of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic, with 30,050 have recovered. However, the pandemic has claimed 419 lives in Malta to date.
During the press conforence, the Health Minister confirmed that there was a small problem in the administration of Pfizer jabs over the past couple of days following a small delay in the shipment of the vaccine. However, things will be back to normal tomorrow after a shipment arrived on Monday.
As from tomorrow, restrictions on mask-wearing on beaches and pools will be lifted, language schools will open doors to foreign students and weddings can be held, with a maximum of 100 people indoors and 300 outdoors.
From 7 June, bars can reopen but customers must be seated, cinemas and theatres can reopen too while restaurants and snack bars can increase the number of people on each table from 4 to 6; betting parlours and casinos can reopen, contact sports will resume and summer schools will reopen.
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews