The Nationalist Party’s COVID Action Team appealed for more transparency with regards to the control of the pandemic as the Omicron variant rapidly spreads across Europe.

The Omicron variant will inevitably enter the country and there needs to be precaution, said the PN in a statement today. It added that scientists have announced that this variant is capable of escaping immunity of the two vaccine doses, highlighting the importance of taking the booster vaccine. The third dose offers around 85% protection and prevents serious illnesses related to Covid-19, as well as more admissions in hospitals, the party said.

There needs to be more efficient Contact Tracing and more rapid testing which helps controlling the spread of the virus in the community, said the PN. There should also be testing of positive individuals in quarantine after 14 days to ensure recovery from the virus, it said.

The PN added that the wearing of face masks should be enforced, the rule also applying to government members, to lead by example.

More airport measures should be set in place to avoid the threat to the vaccination program and herd immunity, it said.

The PN is also stressing on the importance of extending the Covid-19 wage supplement till at least the end of March, rather than the current end of January, to help sectors which are yet again being affected by the pandemic.

The government should also consider the PN’s proposal of reducing VAT for restaurants to 7%, it said.