According to Opposition Spokesperson for Gozo, Chris Said, in recent days, a large number of elderly, vulnerable Gozitans or frontliners have still received phone calls to take the Covid-19 vaccine in Malta.

In a statement on Saturday, Dr Said argued that “this is not acceptable, all the more so when the Government in recent days has boasted that it has opened a large vaccination centre in Victoria, Gozo and the Government had assured everyone that all Gozitans would be vaccinated in Gozo itself.”

He highlighted the fact that the Prime Minister announced on Wednesday that travel between Malta and Gozo would be restricted to those who travel to work or to Gozitan residents. “Despite what the Prime Minister said it is clear that very few checks are being made in Mgarr or in Cirkewwa apart from temperature checks.”

He added that, “this is a clear sign that the Government says one thing to appear to be taking action, but is in fact doing another.”

The Opposition also called for the purchase of the necessary equipment so that the tests on swabs of Gozitans can begin to take place in Gozo itself.

“A year has passed since the beginning of the pandemic and the Government has been unable to invest, or force Steward to invest in an RT-PCR machine for Gozo,” said Dr Said.

He added that, “because of this failure, it is taking up to two days to issue the results of swabs taken in Gozo.”

“We also call for the immediate establishment of a contact tracing unit in Gozo itself.” Dr Said went on to say that, “it is evident that all control over contact tracing has been lost and there are those who are being contacted up to a week later after being in contact with a positive person, as well as those who are never contacted at all even if they are living in the same home as a positive person.”

Permalink: Gozitans still receiving calls to vaccinate in Malta, tests on swab/contact tracing should be done in Gozo – PN