Enough doses in case a fourth COVID vaccine is needed

Feb 7 2022

Superintendent for Public Health Charmaine Gauci revealed that Malta was prepared for the possibility or eventuality that a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended.

Professor Gauci said this while being interviewed on the 11am news bulletin on TVMNews+. She stated that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has not yet recommended a fourth vaccination.

However, she outlined that the Superintendence of Public Health was keeping an eye out for what was happening in countries where the fourth dose is already being given, with Israel in particular.

This comes just as mandatory vaccine certificates were removed for entry into restaurants, snack bars and band clubs. They will also be removed from mandatory use for bars, gyms and pools as of 14th February.

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne defended the measures and their easing by saying that the inoculation with the 3rd booster shot decreased the number of active cases and hospitalisations.

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Difficulty to find permit for foreigners by 37% of Gozitan tourism firms

Feb 7 2022

37%, or nearly two out of every five businesses, which participated in an online survey by the Gozo Tourism Association claimed they are finding it difficult to get working permits for foreign employees.

The majority of these respondents employ one or two foreigners, whereas 26% employ between three and five. The rest employ around eight or more foreign workers. A statement released on Monday by the association revealed that the online survey among its members focused mainly on the performance of Gozitan tourism establishments in 2021.

Asked about business constraints, 57% blamed uncertainty due to the pandemic as the main obstacle. 20% flagged insufficient demand and the rest pointed at staff shortage and operating costs.

42% said that their operating constraints remained unchanged, whereas 30% said these deteriorated. Only 27% reported an improvement over 2020. The survey also confirmed that 68% of establishments reported more business than in 2020.

The respondents were also asked about the impact of the domestic market. 55% of the total declared that the domestic market in 2021 faired better than 2020, with 16% reported a drop.

The participants hailed from the accommodation, restaurants, diving, tourist attractions, transport, tour operating, destination management, travel agency, real estate and tourism consultancy sectors.

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Around 1,971 migrants disappeared or died in the Mediterranean last year

Feb 7 2022

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, up to 1,971 migrants died or disappeared in the Mediterranean last year. The number shoots up to 23,000 over the past decade.

36 NGOs gathers by the harbour in Single on ‘CommemorAction’ Day on Sunday to remember all those who passed away, faced persecution, went missing, or disappeared whilst crossing the sea and borders.

The NGOs remarked how despite the Mediterranean Sea remaining one of the world’s deadliest migratory routes, Malta’s authorities are not doing enough and are looking away from their duties to protect the lives of people seeking asylums in our search and rescue zone.

Posting to Facebook, Moviment Graffiti, one of the NGOs, appealed to the EU’s institutions to offer strong assistance measures to ensure that both Malta and other member states are in a position to offer security and dignity to immigrants who have a right to all these principles.

‘We remind the authorities that these people are mothers, fathers, siblings, children and have a name’ the statement said. ‘We remind the authorities that it is their moral and legal obligation to save the life of people trapped at sea.’

The 6th of February is regarded as World Commemorative Action Day because in 2014, the Spanish police killed at least 15 people as they tried to cross to the Spanish enclave in Ceuta from Tarajal. They were killed and sank after the Civil Guard opened fire upon them.

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Photo Source: Moviment Graffiti FB

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