Covid-19

Malta: Teachers’ union wary of AstraZeneca vaccine, questions effectiveness

The Union of Professional Educators (UPE) has expressed reservation regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine, as it supposedly less effective than other brands such as Pfizer. The union said that the vaccination…

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Malta: COVID-19 cost government €900m last year

The COVID-19 pandemic cost the Maltese government an estimated €900 million last year and the deficit for last year is therefore projected to be higher than 9.4%, Finance Minister Clyde…

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‘One-way road to freedom’: Johnson sets out cautious lockdown exit plan

Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a map out of lockdown for England on Monday that would keep some businesses shuttered until the summer, saying caution was necessary to ensure there were no reversals…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says US Republican politicians need to stand up and be counted against Donald Trump The Independent says that four percent of all Maltese people have now had…

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Malta: Ambitious innovation fund, Horizon Europe, launched in Malta

Horizon Europe has been launched in Malta, which this year has seen a strong increase in funding which amounts to €95.5 billion. While speaking about the launch, the Minister for…

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Malta:‘Vulnerable’ Gozitans asked to travel to Malta for Covid vaccine

Gozitan MP Chris Said has blasted the “unacceptable” practice of asking vulnerable Gozitans as well as frontliners to get vaccinated in Malta. Taking to Facebook, Said wrote that he had…

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Covid deaths exceed 300 mark – Malta News Briefing – Thursday 18 February 2021

Updated 1245: Covid-19 updateThe Health Department reported 163 new cases of coronavirus in the previous 24 hours,with 156 recovering. The number of active cases has reached 2,429. 3,209 swab tests…

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199 new Covid cases – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 17 February 2021

Updated 1745- News Portal Briefing Latest Update- News Portal Briefing Times of Malta reports that a Vincent Muscat, one of the three men accused of murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia, on…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says that Moody’s and the European Commission’s economic analysis should give rise to optimism with a hefty dose of caution. MaltaToday says that we should not lower…

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EU adds anti-variant clauses to new COVID vaccine supply deals – sources

The European Union is adding clauses to contracts with COVID-19 vaccine makers which would allow the bloc to gain access to possible upgraded shots that may offer better protection against variants…

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WHO approves AstraZenecaCOVID-1 9 vaccine for emergency use

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday listed AstraZeneca and Oxford University's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, widening access to the relatively inexpensive shot in the developing world. "We now have all the pieces…

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Lady Gaga shares how she’s dealing with Covid-19 ‘epic sense of powerlessness’

USA Today/ANSA - Lady Gaga shares her 'helplessness' concern for what is happening in the world during the pandemic. USA Today reports Lady Gaga may be a mighty Mother Monster to…

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Malta: Letters for Covid-19 vaccination going out to elderly persons in 80 to 84 age group

Elderly persons in the 80 to 84 age group and living at home will start receiving letters of appointment for the Covid-19 vaccination in the coming days, with dates, times,…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says that a strategy document for the tourism industry has some merits but fails to set challenging and quantifiable targets. The Independent says that the decision to…

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Fire at COVID-19 hospital in Romania kills four

A fire killed four people at a COVID-19 hospital in Romanian capital Bucharest early on Friday and 102 other patients have been evacuated, officials said. The fire, which has since…

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Malta: Country orders 80,000 more Moderna vaccines as 14,000 Pfizer doses arrive

Malta is to spend €2 million to purchase an additional 80,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the prime minister said on Tuesday. Speaking in parliament, he also announced that…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says that there should be more data transparency regarding Covid-19 vaccinations. The Independent echoes this call, saying authorities should be more forthcoming with information in their quest…

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Malta: PM says time has come to create European vaccine certificate

In a letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, PM Robert Abela said that the time has come to create a European vaccine certificate. Dr…

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MEP Alfred Sant questions transparency of EU strategy for Covid-19 vaccinations

Labour MEP Alfred Sant has questioned the implementation of the EU global strategy on COVID-19 vaccinations and said that many questions remain over the transparency of the whole deployment process…

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Commission sets out key actions for a united front to beat COVID-19

Two days ahead of the meeting of European leaders on a coordinated response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Commission set out a number of actions needed to step up the…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says that US President Donald Trump's social media ban highlights the way social media platforms enable anyone to say just about anything to an unknown audience without…

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Malta: Country joins Greece in pushing for EU-wide COVID-19 vaccine certificate

Malta is pushing for EU-wide cooperation on the issuing of a vaccination certificate for those who get the COVID-19 jab, with Health Minister Chris Fearne urging European counterparts to decide…

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Malta: Dar Bjorn residents should be vaccinated now – Formosa

ALS campaigner Bjorn Formosa made an appeal to provide Dar Bjorn residents the anti-Covid vaccine now. The Dar Bjorn founder shared his appeal on Facebook. In his appeal he said…

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Malta: Nadur carnival cancelled, council warns against group gatherings

The Nadur council has cancelled carnival activities in the locality and warned it will report those gathering in groups to the police. The Nadur carnival is spontanous and every year revellers…

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Palestinians approve Russian COVID-19 vaccine for use in self-rule areas

MOSCOW/RAMALLAH, West Bank, Jan 11 (Reuters) - The health ministry of the Palestinian Authority has approved the main Russian vaccine against COVID-19, known as Sputnik V, for use in Palestinian…

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Malta: Public health fury after COVID-19 coordinator Kenneth Grech is removed

Members of Malta’s COVID-19 public health response team are understood to be livid after the team’s coordinator was removed from his post with no explanation, sources told Times of Malta on Monday.…

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Maltese Editors Perspectives

Times of Malta says that former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat should appear before MPs to explain the findings of an investigation by the Commission for Standards in Public Life about…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says US President Donald Trump had caused a riot within the Capitol. It asks whether the election of Joe Biden will be the start of something new.…

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Malta: MUT appeals for schools not to reopen; Health Superintendent replies

The MUT said it had been informed the Health Authorities have advised the Education Ministry that schools should not reopen. The MUT said in a statement the advice had been…

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Malta: Wage supplement scheme launched for three months

The wage supplement scheme covering the period between January and March 2021 was announced by the government on Tuesday morning. The scheme was amended following various consultative meetings with the…

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Malta: President George Vella receives COVID-19 vaccine

President George Vella received a COVID-19 vaccination on Tuesday afternoon, in a procedure that was broadcast live on social media. Vella was given his first of two vaccine jabs by…

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Malta: New Covid-19 variant detected

Health Minister Chris Fearne announced that authorities have discovered a case of the highly-transmissible Covid-19 strain first detected in the UK. The infected patients have been isolated and people whom…

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Malta: COVID-19 vaccine rollout details unveiled, nurses to receive first jab on Sunday

A Maltese nurse who works at Mater Dei hospital will be the first person in Malta to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday, a day after the first 10,000 doses…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Times of Malta says that, while the nurses' dispute requires urgent resolution, it must not put patients' wellbeing at risk. The Independent says Covid-19 could make loneliness in society grow…

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COVID-19: deal to give go-ahead to the new Recovery and Resilience Facility

Today, Parliament’s negotiators agreed with Council on the instrument designed to help EU countries tackle the effects and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The text, agreed on Friday by negotiators…

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Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can be stored in normal fridges, company says

The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can be transported in a liquid state at household fridge temperatures, the company said in an updated handling guide released today. The Moderna vaccine is awaiting final authorisation…

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Putin says he will receive Russian-made vaccine against COVID-19 when possible

MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday he had yet to be inoculated with a Russian-made vaccine against COVID-19 but would do so when possible. The…

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Malta: Country expects to start COVID-19 vaccinations by year’s end

The European Medicines Agency said on Tuesday it had moved forward a meeting to decide on authorisation for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 by more than a week to December…

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Malta: Stay within your own household for Christmas lunch, Gauci urges

People planning a family meal over Christmas should only do so within their own household, the Superintendent of Public health has advised. While there are no restrictions in the country…

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NHS told not to give vaccine to people suffering from significant allergic reactions

People with a history of significant allergic reactions should not receive the Covid vaccine, the medicines regulator has said, after two NHS workers experienced symptoms on Wednesday, The Guardian reports. Both of…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

The Times of Malta looks at Brexit and says that the mantra 'a bad deal is worse than no deal' is now being questioned. The Independent says Christmas is an…

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How COVID-19 led to Donald Trump’s defeat

Did the COVID-19 pandemic doom Donald Trump’s re-election? Our study examining the effect of COVID-19 cases on county-level voting in the United States shows that the pandemic led to Trump’s…

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Malta: Good Samaritan Hospital rebuts ‘unfounded claims’ on COVID-19 safety protocols

The Good Samaritan Hospital has rebutted “unfounded claims” that it was putting patients at risk, after Oppositions MPs alleged the hospital was not observing COVID-19 safety protoocls. Hospital owner Louis…

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COVID-19 and natural disasters: €823 million in EU aid for eight member states

On Tuesday, Parliament approved €823 million in EU aid for the Croatia earthquake, floods in Poland, and the response to the coronavirus crisis in seven EU countries. The €823 million…

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Malta: Deputy PM replies about Covid-19 situation in Malta

Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne has stressed that in regard to the pandemic situation, the Government is acting in a transparent manner and for this reason is…

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Malta: MAM condemns ‘baseless’ judicial protest filed against Fearne & Prof. Gauci

The Medical Association of Malta, MAM, strongly condemns the judicial protest lodged in court opposing the current measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic in Malta. Both Mr Chris Fearne and…

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Malta: Mothers and medical staff clash over use of facemasks during childbirth

Pregnant women have raised concerns about a policy introduced at Mater Dei Hospital which demands they wear masks during childbirth, even if they tested negative for COVID-19. Over 1,200 persons…

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Malta: Pallbearers in full PPE banned from churches

Pallbearers at the funeral of COVID-19 victims cannot walk into church wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE), according to new regulations issued by the Catholic church. Instead, they must leave the…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

The Times of Malta says the built heritage needs more defence, calling for the restructuring of the scheduling system and a review of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage The Independent…

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Australia may see first week of no local COVID-19 transmissions

Australia’s three most populous states on Saturday recorded at least a week with no local transmissions of the new coronavirus, boding well for the country’s recovery from the pandemic after…

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Malta: Ħal Qormi Mayor Renald Falzon dies

The death has been announced of Ħal Qormi Mayor Renald Falzon at the age of 46 years. Qormi Local Council posted on Facebook that it is grateful for everything the…

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EU approves contract with BioNTech-Pfizer alliance to ensure access to a potential Covid-19 vaccine

On Wednesday, the European Commission approved a fourth contract with pharmaceutical companies BioNTech and Pfizer, which provides for the initial purchase of 200 million doses on behalf of all EU…

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EU speeds up delivery of €8 billion in aid to farmers

Parliament and Council reached a provisional deal on Tuesday on an EU recovery package for farmers, food producers and rural areas that should boost their resilience. The political agreement still…

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Malta: News of COVID-19 vaccine sparks renewed hope among hospitality industry

There is renewed hope that the end of the pandemic is in sight, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) has said, reacting to the announcement that a COVID-19 vaccine…

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Malta: 80 critically ill Covid-19 patients at Mater Dei hospital- MAM

In a statement, the MAM said that the Prime Minister and the Minister for Tourism did not understand the gravity of the situation we are in as a result of…

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European organisations launch €280 million financing initiative to support Covid-19 impacted business

As part of Team Europe’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, eleven members of EDFI, the Association of European Development Finance Institutions, are strengthening cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB)…

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Malta: Rise in virus cases within three homes for the elderly, Gauci says

Almost 90 new COVID-19 cases detected this week are of elderly residents at three care homes, Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci said on Friday. Gauci said that the 85 patients…

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