The new restrictive measure imposed by the health authorities this week – the mandatory wearing of face masks in public as of yesterday – has left many minds boggled.

Not because Malta should not be cautious like many other countries around the world and take steps to protect its citizens from Covid-19 and the new Omicron variant, but because the method chosen doesn’t make a lot of sense.

For months, the authorities have been saying that Covid can be transmitted through droplets, with people being particularly vulnerable if they stand in close proximity to each other for 15 minutes or more.

Granted, the introduction of face masks was one of the first measures that were introduced when the pandemic hit last year and it is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to stop the spread. But the way in which it has been introduced now leads to more questions than answers.

Everyone must now wear a mask when outside, irrespective of whether you are in a group of 20 or on your own. You must wear a mask when crossing an empty street. You must wear a mask if you’re strolling on the beach, even if there is no one near you. You must wear a mask while walking from your home to your car when going to a party, but you can then take the mask off once inside, with all those other people brushing against you. Makes sense, no?

While one understands the need for vigilance during this particular time, many feel that there are more effective ways of stopping the transmission of Covid-19, such as limiting event sizes again, introducing new control measures at bars and clubs or suspending mass events for a few weeks.

But government did not go for this approach, presumably because it does not want to hurt business during the festive period.

But what sense does it make to make mask-wearing in public mandatory when people can then still mingle at bars, restaurants or the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebrations. On the night of 31 December, there will be countless parties, get-togethers, concerts and receptions and attendees won’t have to wear masks then.

Attendance for such events will require proof of vaccination and probably a temperature check at the door, the authorities will surely argue. But then why will the same people who are vaccinated be made to wear a mask the minute they step out of their front door? If they are safe at a New Year’s party, aren’t they also safe out on the street?

One could here argue that this is being done to protect the vulnerable and those who have not yet received the vaccine, but walking by a person in the street is hardly a Covid risk.

It seems that this move is intended only to give the impression that something is being done to protect society from the new variant, but in reality we’re only focusing on one of the least likely methods of transmission while ignoring the scenarios where people are more likely to get infected.

Now, let us be clear. We are in no way advocating for some form of lockdown or for events to be cancelled. But we feel that the face mask measure just doesn’t make sense in the circumstances. It does not make sense to make individuals wear masks in uncrowded outdoor areas when no such requirement exists for large gatherings.

Perhaps a more useful approach would have been to step up enforcement at mass events to ensure that both organisers and attendees are actually following protocols, unlike what happened at the Sigma conference last month.

Perhaps what was required was some more clarity, some answers to the questions that have arisen. Questions like: Valletta is a public place, so will concert-goers be made to wear a mask all the time? And if so, will this rule actually be enforced?

Maybe the face mask rule could have been less draconian and people should only have been made to wear their mask when in the vicinity of others or when forming part of a large group.

It is being said, in fact, that we now have the strictest face mask rules in the entire EU and this in the country with the highest vaccination rate and a relatively low transmission rate.

Other countries, like the UK and the US, have taken a more pragmatic approach and have made the wearing of masks mandatory in public indoor spaces. They have also stepped up measures for mass events and urged people to work from home, if possible.

The new face mask rule has angered many, and with good reason. While measures must be taken to protect society, especially as the country expects to register its first Omicron case in the coming days or weeks, the mandatory wearing of masks in outdoor areas is too draconian and there are other measures that would have made more sense in the current scenario.