Primary schools, as well as childcare centres and kindergartens, are to open this morning after a five-week closure – which included the Easter holidays – as Malta makes a first step towards a return to normality.

A surge in Covid-19 cases in early March pushed the government, once again, to close schools and order further restrictions to control the spread of the virus.

The numbers have since subsided and last week Prime Minister Robert Abela announced plans for a gradual easing of restrictions.

Giving priority to education and the elderly, the plans are to open some schools today and allow limited visits in elderly people’s homes.

Middle schools are set to open on Wednesday while secondary schools will do so on Friday.

Elective surgery will also re-start at Mater Dei Hospital as from today, while visits at elderly people’s homes – with 90% of the residents vaccinated – will also start today.

Non-essential shops and services will re-open on 26 April while the two-person in public rule will increase to four persons as from 26 April as well.

Masses in churches will re-start as from the coming weekend.

All other measures will remain in place for now with a continued emphasis on enforcement.  Abela said that this is a bi-directional approach, meaning that the measures may be reversed if pressure on Malta's hospitals increases again.