The Nationalist Party has said that strong action and transparent decisions against the pandemic, as well as proper enforcement of measures to reduce the spread of the virus are crucial, even in light of the reopening of schools in less than two weeks. 

In a press statement on Sunday, the Nationalist Party noted that a faster roll-out of the Covid-19 booster offers more endurance and a stable herd immunity. 

This must be accompanied by regular testing and efficient contact tracing. More testing sites in Malta are needed during this period when the country is facing a significant number of active cases. There is also a need for more human resources to complement the contact tracing team, the PN said. 

The Omicron variant which was detected for the first time in Malta on Thursday, is a lot more transmissible than other variants. As a result, more patients are being admitted to Mater Dei Hospital with an increase in patients who need to be admitted to the intensive care unit. This automatically puts an increased pressure on frontliners and healthcare services. This is also leading to cancellations of operations, appointments as well as treatments for other non-covid-19 patients. 

The Nationalist Party highlighted that there is a need for a serious and responsible self-testing system that can be registered with the public health authority. 

“This would reduce the overload of both PCR and Rapid testing in the community. A Rapid test with a negative result at the end of a person’s quarantine period should also be required,” the PN said.