MAM said today it is seriously preoccupied with persistent high daily numbers of Covid patients which average above 150 a day.  

While the increasing number of daily vaccinations is encouraging, this should not lure the authorites into a false sense of security, the Medical Association of Malta said in a statement.

As a result Mater Dei hospital, in particular medical wards, and the intensive care unit, may soon reach a breaking point where it will not be able to cope with the flow of patients. Furthermore contact tracing is lagging by several days rendering it ineffective.

While no lock-down was considered necessary, the Eurobarometer survey showed that 83% of Maltese are worried of a possible infection with Covid – clearly the highest in the EU. It is clear that the vast majority of the Maltese wear masks and keep social distancing and follow the advice of the health authorities.

However a minority of people chose to have a good time and ignored preventive measures between Christmas to New Year causing the number of daily cases to rise sharply by four times for a period of a few weeks.

MAM has repeatedly warned that daily rates should be kept below 100 per day, otherwise the Health care system might not cope with load. That point is now dangerously close.

MAM appealed for immediate action to break the vicious cycle where a minority of “risk taking” individuals pick up Covid at social events on the weekend and then spread it to their family members and their work colleagues a few days later. Actions are necessary to curb this reckless behavior by this minority

MAM recommends a 9pm curfew from Friday to Sunday for a period of at least two weeks, and scaling up enforcement on non-compliant establishments in particular hotspots such as Paceville, Bugibba. Such a curfew should also be in force on the two days following carnival Sunday.