The government is set to announce changes to quarantine protocols on Wednesday, Health Minister Chris Fearne said.

It is understood that the government is reacting to the calls for change of quarantine rules for Maltese returning from red list countries.

Maltese citizens have had so far to stay in so-called quarantine hotels even if they assured the health authorities that they were ready to follow quarantine restrictions in their own property.

People staying in quarantine hotels are paying €100 per room each day. As things stand, people entering Malta from a list of so-called ‘dark red’ countries must spend a period of 14 days in quarantine – regardless of whether they are vaccinated or not. The expenses would amount to €1,400, excluding food and other services.

In a post on Facebook, Fearne said that the changes to travel restrictions and quarantine protocols will be announced on Wednesday.

Sources said the government has been discussing these since last week, before the case of Rachel Umanah, a girl with Down syndrome.

Early this week, her mother appealed to the health authorities to allow her daughter to quarantine at home rather than in a hotel room. 

Carmen Umanah, Rachel Umanah’s mothersaid that she is the only one who truly understands what her daughter goes through when it comes to her condition.