Booster jabs for teachers and healthcare workers by mid-November

Oct 26 2021

Apart from revealing his two step plan to move towards a normal festive season, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne announced yesterday that healthcare workers, teachers, pharmacists and care-workers in elderly homes will receive their booster dose from the 15th of November. Speaking in parliament, Fearne said that as from the second week of November, everyone above the age of 70 will have received an appointment for the booster and that other restrictions will be eased.

As of yet, 869,715 doses of the vaccine have been administered, with 46,099 of those being booster doses. The epidemiological situation in Malta does seem to have somewhat stabilized, with very few hospital admissions and daily cases, and even lesser ITU admissions. This led to the Health Ministry’s announcement of restriction easing, but the vaccine rollout has been, and remains, one of the main components at averting further spread.

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Photo Source: Chris Fearne FB, The Confident Teacher, The Guardian

Mike Tyson returning to boxing with a 2022 match against a Paul brother

Oct 26 2021

Turning 56 next June, former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson confirmed his return to the ring in February 2022, and one of the YouTuber Paul brothers is set to enter the duel against him. Boxing Hall of Famer Iron Mike, as he is known, is rumored to be facing the now-turned boxer Logan Paul, however, Tyson has seemingly become pretty close with the younger Paul brother, Jake. Asked previously whether he would face either one of the siblings, Tyson said that the money would be too good to resist, saying that the brothers have 35 million people to watch them.

‘They would fight me. That would make a lot of money. Hundred million dollars, they do anything, they don’t mind getting beat up for a hundred million dollars’ he said. Tyson has however ruled out fighting the younger Jake, saying that, despite being able to knock him out easily, he ‘never would’. That’s because Tyson’s family love the younger brother, and fighting him would pitch him against them. Logan seems to be the one getting the punches, but the YouTuber has held his own in previous matches, including those against Floyd Mayweather.

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Photo Source: Getty

500 deaths due to air pollution in just two years

Oct 26 2021

The impacts of air pollution on us and the world as a whole have been put forth as a serious we need to tackle. The situation seems to be more dire however as a study prepared by a Danish scientist measuring air pollution in Malta recently reports that around 500 deaths in the country over the past two years occurred because of this phenomenon. Scientist Kare Press-Kristensen visited the island to measure the levels of air pollution as part of a European Union funded project.

The Valletta and Senglea areas have shown a high concentration of very fine particles in the air when marine vehicles such as cruise liners and smaller ships entered the harbor. These particles enter the most sensitive parts of the lung and make their way into the bloodstream, posing major health risks. The amount of deaths therefore exceeds that of COVID-19 in just these two years. (with the pandemic having killed 460 people so far).

Press-Kristensen spoke to Television Malta, stating that a way to combat this would be ‘Emission Control Areas’ which would entail large ships switching to leaner fuels when entering the Mediterranean. BirdLife Malta also added that it has pushed for such a system to be put in place, leading to potentially healthier tangible benefits to life in Malta.

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Photo Source: Crew Centre

Cannabis reform an honest one says Minister Bonnici

Oct 26 2021

Speaking on Xtra on TVM News Plus on Monday, Reforms Minister Owen Bonnici stated that Malta’s cannabis reform is not merely one of tolerance for users, but an honest one. Saying that upright individuals should not end up with a criminal record because of use, Bonnici said that he does not ant to create a model which simply allows people to use cannabis with legal ‘lacuna’.

Drawing distinctions with other European countries where cannabis use was ‘merely tolerated’, the minister said that the proposed legal framework will make sure that cannabis users have access to a good product and without having to force buyers into the world of criminality. With the legislation currently before parliament allowing people to grow up to four plants at home (granted they aren’t publicly visible), Bonnici said that the government wanted to go for a ‘harm reduction’ approach to adequately protect children and the general public.

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Photo Source: Owen Bonnici FB