Bars and clubs continue to be the main victims of the government’s idea to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. An extension of the legal notice issued last year will keep them closed at least until the start of February. A decision on whether to withdraw the notice or extend it further will be taken towards the end of January.

It seems that the government has singled out bars and clubs to give the idea that it is doing something to control the spread of the virus. They are the sacrificial lambs. In other countries where there is also contagion, the measures in place, especially during the Christmas and New Year festivities, were stricter and covered more areas than just one. While bars and clubs needed to be closed to stop the spread of the virus, more should have been done to control the spread.

Prime Minister Robert Abela, in what appears to have been an afterthought, has now said that the government will be handing out €1 million to assist these clubs and bars. It is a consolation prize to the owners and administrators of these premises, but it is probably not enough to make up for the revenue that they have lost in the past weeks and will continue to lose at least for another month.

The Covid-19 rules that have been put in place in Malta – and, to be fair, in other countries too – are bizarre, to say the least. Because, if bars and clubs are closed and the reason for this, according to the government’s instructions, is to keep people from congregating in large numbers in a confined space where social distancing are difficult to follow, then why should bingo sessions be allowed?

A few days ago, it was announced that eight elderly citizens had ended up positive to Covid-19 after attending a bingo event, while another 70 went into quarantine. The event was organised by a local council, that of San Gwann.

The council has defended itself against accusations that the organisation of such an event was inappropriate in the prevailing circumstances. It said that every precaution had been taken and that the protocol was followed. But, as matters developed, it was not enough.

The question is: Why take such a risk – and with elderly people, too; people who are among the most vulnerable to the virus. We have been hearing the health authorities say that the elderly population should be protected right from the very first day virus cases were detected in Malta. We understand that the intentions were good, as the council wanted to give its residents something to cheer about before Christmas. But the council is now responsible, at least in part, of creating a platform for the virus to spread.

If we really want to eradicate the virus from Malta, we have to be more careful. The vaccination campaign that has started is not an overnight cure to the pandemic, as unfortunately many have been led to think by the pomposity of the government’s events promoting it, not to mention the Prime Minister’s over-optimism.

We still need to exercise caution and, while it is good to be confident and look forward to the time when all this will be behind us, there are still sacrifices that need to be made.