During a press conference this evening with Prime Minister Robert Abela, Minister for Health Chris Fearne and the Superintendent of Public Health Prof Charmaine Gauci, the Prime Minister announced that as of this Friday, the 5th of June, the majority of Covid-19 restrictions will be relaxed.

Prime Minister Abela also said that everyone will be back to work from Friday, this includes those people who are deemed as vulnerable.

The relaxation of measures will be subject to three mitigation measures; the wearing of masks in certain places, social distancing and hygiene, such as in hand washing, he said.

The Prime Minister said the measures will be relaxed while observing the principal of health and had been made possible because the authorities had carried out an evaluation over the previous weeks, of what could be effective to stop the pandemic, and what wasn’t.

He confirmed that the airport would be reopening on the 1st of July, with flights available to and from nineteen countries, subject to “simple protocols.”

Prime Minister Abela explained that some establishments would have to remain closed at this time, including contact sports.

Prof Gauci explained that a risk evaluation had been carried out before measures had been relaxed, which had been done together with mitigation measures.

She said that this means that now other establishments that had not been open, will be able to do so from Friday, she explained that bars, like restaurants will have the same concept, meaning that the public will have to keep a certain distance.

Childcare Centres are included to open on Friday, however it will be with a difference, fewer children will be permitted so as to keep to social distancing, hygiene measures will also be taught to the children. Prof Gauci went on to say that educational establishments would be opened in the future if the situation remains stable.

Prof Gauci stressed that mass events will still not be permitted this summer because social distancing still has to be observed, however some events will be permitted, though no details were given.

Gauci also gave details on the 19 countries where the travel restrictions have been lifted, which are; Sardinia, Sicily, Iceland, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Israel, Latvia, Norway, Estonia, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, the Czech Republic and Ireland.

She said that passenger locator forms will be used in order to trace and monitor the passengers in case a coronavirus case is detected from a flight.

There will be no quarantine for passengers arriving from these countries, this will be reciprocated for Maltese nationals travelling to the same countries. However, Prof Gauci said that any passengers arriving from other countries would be subject to quarantine.

Passengers arriving in the country had to be able to guaranteed that they had been in the same country for four weeks, she said.

Health Minister Chris Fearne, speaking during the press conference, remarked that the R-factor is currently 0.5, and that the country “had won the war against Covid-19,” he added that because other countries are still at war against the disease, it doesn’t mean that Malta also has to.

Dr Fearne, answering questions from the media, said that some Masses will start be held by the middle of this month, this comes following discussions and the Curia will be announcing the full details.

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