MUMN warns Prime Minister any tourism this summer could cost lives

The MUMN has appealed to the Prime Minister “not to consider any form of tourism this summer.”

The union stressed that, “this could cost the lives of several of our loved ones, could break the whole health system and would still not boost the economy of our country.”

In a statement the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses President Paul Pace, said that the union has been approached by its members due, due to what he describes as “their shock and anger on hearing via the media that Tourism Minister Julia Farrug ^[1]ia Portelli is even considering some form of tourism from the so-called 9 `safe.” countries.”

He argued that “this is purely a political measure from an economic perspective which can have huge repercussions on the lives of all those living on the Maltese islands.”

“As MUMN, being a union with the interest of its healthcare workers who are on the frontline in all healthcare institutions and speaking in the name of our patients, we are strongly appealing to the Prime Minister that considering any form of tourism at this early stage of the pandemic is a blunder,” it said.

The MUMN said that it would like to point out to the Prime Minister that “a few thousand tourists who may arrive in Malta this summer would not resolve the ailing economy, but will just act as a catalyst for the second wave of the Coronavirus epidemic to occur on our islands.”

It went on to remind the Prime Minister that several warnings have been issued both by CDC and WHO ..which stated, “we are not reopening based on science, but we are reopening based on politics, ideology and public pressure. This is going to end badly.”

“To achieve the remarkable results in Malta of such a low death rate in such an appalling epidemic, the Maltese people paid a very dear price,” the MUMN said.

It pointed out that, “for two whole months the elderly and the vulnerable stayed locked in their houses, some losing thousands of euros due to reduced salaries, deprived from their families and their loved ones.”

Such huge sacrifices can easily be lost by allowing tourists arriving on our shores at a time when the pandemic is still far from over, said the union.

The MUMN stressed that “with all the measures Public Health aims to devise to prevent an outbreak in Malta if tourism is to be considered in Malta, (such as the swabbing of every tourists arriving in Malta) it would not be enough to guarantee the safety of the Maltese population.”

“This led to Malta being acknowledged as being one of the best success stories in the world in managing the pandemic today,” stated the MUMN. “Whilst this is being used as part of the marketing strategies to attract tourists back to Malta, the same tourist would change our success story to a tragic one.”

There are several measures due to the Coronavirus within the Maltese society which still need to be tested before embarking on any form of tourism, the union said. “The biggest challenge would be the entertainment industry, such as bars, discos, museums, pubs, and weddings etc. where social distancing would be impossible to maintain.”

The MUMN highlighted the fact that Malta is one of the few countries were contact tracing, accompanied with the discipline and obedience of the Maltese people, has managed to contain the pandemic, which other countries despite harsher lockdowns did not manage to achieve.

The MUMN stressed that, “we, as a nation should not take such a success for granted or with a false sense of security that the worst is over in this pandemic.”

The union concluded with its appeal to Prime Minister Robert Abela:

Prime Minister,

“The lives of the people living on the Maltese islands depend on your decisions. Political responsibility must be carried when hundreds (if not thousands) of lives are lost due to political blunders.

“Opening the airport to any form of tourism is a political risk which will not resolve the issues in our economy. Are you ready to take such a risk since in any pandemic situation, a simple bad misjudgement can lead to hundreds of lives being lost? Are you ready to take such risks?”

Photo by Alain Salvary