COVID-19 might stick around as world lags behind on herd immunity

Aug 15 2021

Speaking on ‘Indepth’, Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne stated how, despite Malta having reached herd immunity, the world’s lagging in this regard might mean that COVID-19 will be here to stay. As Malta boasts a herd immunity of just under 90%, many other countries are still well off and might not develop this target. This means COVID-19 might turn from a pandemic into an endemic virus – meaning it will be sticking around for a while.

Fearne stated that herd immunity is a mathematical formula which changes according to several factors, which include variants and the reproduction rate of the virus. The original COVID-19 strain had a reproduction rate of about 2.5, meaning herd immunity was set at 60%. The variants complicated the situation, with the Delta variant in particular bossing it up to 90%. Malta has vaccinated around 89% of the population, meaning the island is almost there.

However, the world seems to be lagging considerably and this could turn the virus into an endemic. This means that we will have to deal with the virus through booster doses, which need to be up to date with all the latest information. Fearne added how these latest developments mean that the entire population needs to be vaccinated because of this formula, even though the vaccines are not 100% effective. COVID-19 might just become another disease we live with.

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Photo Source: Anna Shvets, Chris Fearne FB

Residents and MPs angered by Marsaskala yacht marina plans

Residents and MPs angered by Marsaskala marina yacht plans

Aug 15 2021

After Transport Malta released the plans for a massive yacht marina for Marsaskala creek last Friday, social media was taken up by anger and concern. Residents commented how the new plans will deprive them of all swimming areas as the preliminary design in Annex 2 of the document shows most of the coastline taken up by pontoons.

The plans are part of a pre-qualification questionnaire for the award of a concession to design, build and operate a yacht marina from the inner side to the outmost points of the creek. Apart from not leaving any swimming area for residents, the plans would make it impossible for fireworks to be set off from the sea and also raises concern over the impact on the saline marshland at il-Maghluq.

Of those who came out against the plans were Labour MP Jean Claude Micallef who was elected from the district. Writing to Facebook, he stated how despite losing everything to enter politics, he would not let the bay in Marsascala be lost. He stated how he found out about these plans through the media and that an MP from the same district should be informed of such plans.

He called for everyone who cares for Wied il-Ghajn to attend an urgent Local Council meeting this upcoming Monday. Sharing Micallef’s post, PN MP Beppe Fenech Adami commented how the Labour government has also ignored its own MPs’ concerns over such plans and went ahead with the designs.

The Nationalist Party as a whole also commented on the plans, stating that a issuing a tender for a massive yacht marina in Marsascala is ‘tantamount to putting the cart before the horse’. Speaking during a press conference on Saturday, PN spokesperson Peter Agius said that while the PN were in support of infrastructure investment, residents also had the right to be in the know of how the project could impact the environment and quality of life.

Agius pointed out how the community’s interest should not come second as the project is already at a tendering stage with no resident consultation. Marsascala minority leader John Baptist Camilleri also commented, stating that the council was surprised by the plans to construct a full-scale marina. They were, allegedly, under the impression that the plans were to build a breakwater in the area.

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Photo Source: Beppe Fenech Adami FB, Jean Claude Micallef FB

Maltese TikToker Henry Galea on his way to 5 million followers

Aug 15 2021

Maltese TikToker and make-up artist Henry Galea is still going strong as his platform is about to hit the 5 million follower mark. His rise to TikTok stardom has been achieved through stunning make-up work and character design, in which he creates bizarre and yet hyper-realistic personalities from fantasy and brings them to life.

@henrygalea

Wait for it … 🤍🤡 #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #makeup #makeupartist

♬ tatatarararara – holaa

Henry, who forms part of Club House Europe, is also the creator of Heri Cosmetics, which is Malta’s first ever locally produced cosmetics brand. The youth’s innovation and determination are beyond paying off as he pursues his dream professionally locally and with internationally.

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Congratulations Henry on the pending milestone soon to be achieved! And here’s to 6M!

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Photo Source: @henrygaleaaa IG, henrygalea TikTok

WATCH: Shark hunts for ‘lampuki’ near Filfla island

Aug 15 2021

A video uploaded to Facebook by Bertu Pace shows a shark of unknown species swimming in the Filfla area in search of ‘lampuki’ (dorado).

As the fish migrates near the Maltese islands during autumn, sightings of sharks grow more common as they move in to hunt famous ‘lampuki’. The fish have become an immensely popular seafood delicacy for the Maltese, and it seems as though this shark has also developed a taste for it.

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The shark species was not specified apart from certifying that it probably is not a Great White. The shark was also swimming considerably far away from the nearest beaches, and are rarely known to attack humans.

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Photo Source: Bertu Pace FB