In the first months, the pandemic brought out the best in us. The careful handling by the health authorities and the bravery of the front-liners gave this nation the courage to come out of the anxiety of the first wave. The ‘return to normal’ seemed however to be subject to confused instructions, rash oversteps and no contingency planning.
The grave tone of Profs. Charmaine Gauci’s press conferences as cases started to pick up in April set a standard for generalised caution, helping the nation to control the pandemic. That tone is now seen in stark contrast to the pseudo reassurance by the Prime Minister, that everything is plain sailing.
Like most in Malta, I cannot take the Prime Minister’s word for it in the face of record daily cases spiking up. Abela’s credibility is dented. While the health authorities were citing caution to avoid a second wave, the PM chided that waves are for the sea. Our lack of reassurance is not just grounded on the numbers; it is amplified by a series of other factors which all indicate the need for a more rigorous application of the health and safety recommendations issued by the World Health Organisation. In the following lines I share a few concerns with you, on a big caveat, I am no health expert, so my considerations below are to be taken in context.
To begin with, our airport seems to be the weakest point in the battle against Covid-19. Having been through the experience myself, I saw several passengers without masks on flights, herd-like transfers from aircraft to airport and the bottleneck exit from arrivals with the usual pickers with name placards bumping and blocking passing traffic. Again, I repeat, I am not an expert on the subject matters at hand, but it seemed clear to me that flight attendants were not party to the enforcement efforts and that the closing of the wider arrivals exit for a narrower one is not conducive to better Covid-19 handling. There is little suggesting a serious Covid-19 situation at the airport. The temperature controls, which I am told do exist, are well hidden supposedly not to dampen the holiday feeling.
Another cause for concern is the delay in seeing to swabbing test requests. An acquaintance of mine called for a swab test on Monday with an appointment given for Wednesday, the week after. Media reports quote MAM President Martin Balzan saying there may be up to 10,000 individuals waiting for a swab test. The news this week of two new testing centres in Qormi and Burmarrad augurs well. Equally commendable is the instruction by the Doctors Association for all health professionals to assist in conducting swabbing tests, even during the industrial action they were forced to consider to infuse back some reason into government’s decision on mass gatherings.
This week I passed by one of the testing centres myself. I was touched by the bravery of the personnel, conducting scores of uncomfortable operations in the sweltering summer heat. The report of one such worker being neglected is outrageous. Let us make sure to address that particular case and never to repeat anything like it. We should rather seek ways of motivating all of our front liners. All of our health professionals are doing their job with the utmost dedication. For them, these are the times of true testimony to their Hippocratic oath. And yet, as a society we are so far failing in recognising their efforts. Government is reimbursing party marketing expenses (good), bailing-out the construction industry (good), paying us for restaurant outings, but failing in compensating, at least symbolically, our front liners for instance through additional paid vacation or compensation for expenses incurred. That would be simply a matter of good management.
Good management is not easy in these Covid times. The government is in a very delicate situation to balance the economic squeeze with the health imperatives. Schools reopening, businesses balance sheets and hotel occupancy are all on government’s mind. I think however that the first months of the pandemic showed us that with solidarity we pass through testing times. The reopening to business was necessary. Opening our airport was imperative. But with 50 plus cases a day we now need to ask whether the return to normality should take a longer and more cautious route, rather than a sudden return to pre-Covid turnovers.
Summer tourist numbers of last year are nowhere in sight. 5 star hotels have just reported a meagre 25% occupancy. While one can understand the need for big numbers, in the current context it may however be wise to plan a more extended tourist season with smaller numbers spread over autumn and winter. Malta has, after all, a 20 degrees Christmas season while most in our northern markets are shivering close to zero degree temperatures.
On the same note, some of the Government’s measures to stimulate the economic cycle could be reconsidered over a longer period of time. The vouchers with a short expiry date for instance are playing their part in the crowded restaurants these weeks. It is now time to consider what worked; and what is obviously not working and take immediate corrective action. We all depend on this.
Peter Agius is a PN MEP candidate and EU expert