Be the first to comment!MAM calls on the Government to stop flights arriving from northern Italy
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In a statement on Sunday, Medical Association of Malta (MAM) have called on the Government to stop flights arriving from northern Italy.
The MAM pointed out that the Italian government has declared the region of Lombardia and 14 provinces in northern Italy as a quarantine zone, where people are forbidden to travel unless they receive special permission.
It said that this had been ordered because the situation in Italy serious with the epidemic spreading like wildfire to thousands, with hundreds of deaths and intensive care admissions.
The MUM stated that Italy is moving to the situation already seen in china where the only remedy was complete lockdown.
Doctors said that “it was clear that the Italian authorities just like China have failed to stop the epidemic with their soft approach and have now changed to lockdown approach.”
They added that “the World Health Organisation’s failure to recommend travel bans has resulted in a global pandemic. Singapore and Hong Kong introduced travel bans from mainland china and quickly controlled the epidemic.”
“The three cases in Malta, said MAM, “were the result of a family who travelled to northern Italy despite the advice not to do so.”
“While this family was lucky to get mild illness, not everybody will be so lucky. They have created a grave risk for all the half a million inhabitants of the Maltese islands,” the added.
“Yet incredibly, daily flights to Malta from the lockdown areas in Italy continue unabated, with two more flights due this Sunday.”
MAM stressed that the medical advice of all the consultants in the department of medicine at Mater Dei Hospital recommended this ban one week ago.”
It added that, “all trade unions and social partners with the exception of MHRA have already insisted to stop these flights.”
MAM appealed to the Government “to stop with immediate effect all flights from northern Italy, and to order mandatory quarantine for flights from other cities from Italy.”
It argued that “the soft approach is a proven failure, let us protect our country and not have to go into lockdown after thousands get sick.”
MAM concluded by saying that, “failing this MAM is ready to take whatever measure necessary to protect its members and the general public.”
File photo
