Everyone is eagerly waiting for the day when we are told that we can go back to normal again, when we’ll be able to meet friends and family again over a coffee, a drink or perhaps a nice dinner at a restaurant.

We have been living in a partial lockdown for over six weeks now and people are itching to go back to their normal routines – to the things we took for granted before, including going to work instead of working from home.

But the truth is that it will take a while for us to be able to go back to that situation. We must stick it out a little longer and remain disciplined and focused. This is not over yet.

Speaking on the latest Indepth interview, Professor Charmaine Gauci warned that the only way we can return to full normality is when we achieve immunity from Covid-19 and, realistically, that can only happen when a vaccine is available. While a number of countries are working on a Covid-19 vaccine, trials will take at least a few months, so we will not have a solution any time soon.

In the meantime, social distancing rules must remain in place, Gauci said.

The authorities are still discussing what restricting measures could be eased, and they have been tight-lipped so far, but it is very unlikely that the measures that could be relaxed will be ones related to business.

When announcing that no new cases were registered from Saturday to Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister said that measures could be relaxed but was very cautious on the way forward and said one must wait a while longer to see what will be changing in the near future.

We are not out of the woods yet. While the number of new cases registered over the past few days has been quite low, the situation remains serious. The fourth Coronavirus-related death on Saturday puts paid to the idea that the worst is now over.

And Gauci also warned, during the interview, that whether Malta experiences it’s second wave of Coronavirus cases depends greatly on the cooperation of the public. She also expressed concern at the fact that a number of people who have been called in for testing have failed to show up.

Speaking to this newsroom, former PN Health Minister Joe Cassar also warned that certain people might be carrying the virus without ever showing any symptoms. He was, in fact, one of these asymptomatic patients. This makes it even more important for social distancing rules to stay in place, at least for now, because people might unknowingly be transmitting the virus in the community.

Professor Gauci also warned that, come winter, Malta will be battling two viruses at the same time: Covid-19 and the seasonal influenza, which can also be a killer. Like the Coronavirus, influenza can be deadly for elderly and other vulnerable people, so we cannot relax just yet.

It is quite unfortunate that we will not be able to enjoy the summer fully, but reality is what it is, and we must put up with this situation for a few more months.

The wellbeing of our most vulnerable citizens, and of society in general, depends on our actions. Overall, we have acted very responsibly so far. Let’s keep it up and keep our elderly and sick safe.