Updated 1440
Timesofmalta.com reports that the UĦM Voice of the Workers has registered an industrial dispute with the government and ordered vulnerable workers asked to report to work on Friday to continue working from home. A similar directive has also been issued by the Malta Union of Teachers to its members.
The online portal reports that the MUT said in a statement on Thursday, it was not involved in any discussion on the decision for people to return to work and according to its information, workplaces were not equipped in line with the issued protocol, which also had never been discussed with the union.
Apart from that, the union noted, no risk assessment of workplaces was being carried out.
In a separate statement, the UĦM said the government’s directive contrasted substantially from the guidelines for vulnerable persons published by the Health Superintendent on Tuesday, which made it clear that COVID-19 was still around.
Updated 1415h – Family support measures to be phased out
Support measures to parents who had to take time off work to take responsibility for their children at home as well as vulnerable persons who could not work due to their situation will be phased out by the end of this month. The latter will receive the last payment today. Parents will continue receiving financial assistance until the end of the month.
This was announced this morning by Family Minister Michael Falzon.
Updated 1235h – Daily bulletin by Ministry of Health
A positive bulletin today by the Ministry of Health reaching the Maltese public on the eve of further easing of restrictions due tomorrow. 14 persons have recovered in the past 24 hours, and with no new infections identified, only 37 active cases remain. Just under 900 tests were carried out.
Update 0830h – Newspaper Review
The Malta Business Weekly says Latvia and Bulgaria consider Malta as a high-risk country for the epidemic. While the Balkan country imposed a 14-day quarantine for travellers from Malta and six other countries, the Baltic country recommends against visiting the islands.
The Times quotes the Public Health Superintendent who announced that a legal notice requiring vulnerable people to stay indoors is to be lifted on Friday after the Covid-19 reproduction rate fell to below 0.5.
The Independent speaks to Finance Minister Edward Scicluna who said he expects the tourism industry to ‘get back on its feet’ within a year and a half. He said that the recovery depends on demand.
L-Orizzont says travel agencies reported a good response from customers after the government announced the reopening of the airport from July. A tour operator said that interest in holiday resorts and small-group tours has grown.
In-Nazzjon says that the privatised hospitals are set to change ownership again after employees at Steward Healthcare bought out a 90 percent stake in the company. Health Minister Chris Fearne said the new owners are committed to the contractual obligations.
The Times says that Prime Minister Robert Abela refused to take a public position on allegations in court against PL deputy leader Chris Cardona. Abela said that any decisions will be taken at the end of the judicial process.
The Independent quotes parliamentary secretary Clifton Grima who announced that competitions for contact sports may resume from mid-July. Athletes can restart training from the beginning of the month.
L-Orizzont says that Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci has given her last Covid-19 briefing on Wednesday. The number of active cases has decreased to 51 following two new infections and eight recoveries.
The Malta Business Weekly quotes opponents of the City Centre project in Pembroke who said that a revised plan submitted by DB Group does not address the concerns of residents in the area and will still overshadow bordering localities.
In-Nazzjon quotes Opposition Leader Adrian Delia who said that job losses are the greatest worry on people’s minds and accused the government of ignoring unemployment figures issued by the National Statistics Office.
L-Orizzont says that the government has implemented 43 percent of its 2017 electoral programme while a third of the remaining proposals are at an advanced stage. The information was given by Minister Carmelo Abela.
The Malta Business Weekly reports that Greece has banned travel to and from Qatar until the 15th of June after several passengers on a flight from Doha to Athens tested positive to the coronavirus.
Information on the new normality continued to trickle in yesterday, with more sectors being informed of the expected way of operations.
The latest update concerned sport, with training for contact sports being allowed to re-start on 1st July, with competitions on the 15th of the same month. The National Waterpolo League and horse racing competitions are expected to be among the first to resume. However, no spectators will be allowed as this stage.
Competitions for non-contact individual sports can already start as from tomorrow.
In a major change, indoor sports activities will be permitted in venues hosting less than 75 people, including athletes, officials and other support staff.
Other guidelines made public late on Tuesday and early Wednesday covered a number of other activities, including retail outlets and office jobs. According to new regulations issued yesterday by health authorities, customers will be able to try out clothes before purchasing. Shops will be able to allow one person in per four square metres, or just one customer and one member of staff inside if the shop is smaller. The full list of regulations and protocols is available on Corporate Dispatch’s specifically dedicated page.
Yesterday also saw the end of what had become an established appointment for local viewers, Prof Charmaine Gauci’s press briefing. She announced that Malta is now in a transition phase and the Health Superintendence would be keeping contact with the public in other means. In her last briefing she announced two new cases and eight recoveries, taking Malta’s case count to 622 and active cases down to 51.
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