French restaurants now require vaccine certificates or negative PCR tests

Jul 14 2021

President Emmanuel Macron announced health restrictions on unvaccinated individuals, stating that restaurants now require mandatory negative PCR tests or vaccine certificates. A record number of French people promptly booked appointment for COVID-19 jabs after the announcement. Doctolib boss Stanislas Niox-Chateau stated that around 20,000 appointments per minute were recorded since the televised announcement, continuing well throughout the night.

A total of 926,000 booked a jab on the site, with 65% of them being under the age of 35. A health pass, meaning vaccination proof or negative test results, will need to be provided by anyone who wants to go out to eat or drink, visit a shopping centre or even take a long-distance train ride. Festivals, cinemas and theatre shows will also require this health pass, as the Delta variant’s spread has resulted in a new spike in cases. Free COVID tests will also end in September to encourage vaccination.

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Photo Source: Helena Lopes

Lovin Malta founder Christian Peregin steps down and joins Nationalist Party

Jul 14 2021

Founder and CEO of Lovin Malta Christian Peregin has announced that he will be stepping down from his aforementioned position and joining the Nationalist Party. Peregin will be occupying a position of strategic support for the Opposition party, with David Grech and Bettina Falzon now leading the news company.

Speaking about the decision, Peregin opened up about how the ‘gap in support between the government and the Opposition has remained too wide for too long’, prompting his decision to take up a mantle in the political landscape. He expressed his immense respect for current Prime Minister Robert Abela, but worries that without the ‘threat of an Opposition gaining in popularity, the government does not have a big enough incentive to listen to its critics.’

The announcement came with a wide range of reactions. Among these, Xarabank host Peppi Azzopardi stated on social media that Peregin’s decision is an immensely courageous one. He praised Peregin as a genius for his creation of Lovin Malta, and then commended him for not taking a back seat just criticising government but instead decided to aid the opposition in becoming an alternative government Malta and Gozo deserve.

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Photo Source: Christian Peregin FB

Update: Unvaccinated travellers can enter Malta if they submit to quarantine

Jul 14 2021

A rule change has been put in place when it comes to travellers making their way to Malta. Whereas before only fully vaccinated travellers could enter the country starting today Wednesday 14th July, the health authorities have announced that unvaccinated arrivals from Amber List countries can enter provided they submit to a period of quarantine. They will be doing so in an adequate hotel and at their own expense. This legal notice was published mere hours before the controversial ban was set to be put into effect.

Children aged between 5 and 12 as well as those who cannot receive the jab due to medical reasons will be exempt from having to produce a certificate. They will instead have to provide a negative PCR test performed not longer than 72 hours prior their arrival in Malta. Residents of Malta who were abroad prior to the establishment of this regulation shall also be exempt from providing the vaccine certificate but will also need to show evidence of a negative PCR test as well.

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Photo Source: AirMalta

Language schools set to lose up to €40 million following new closures

Jul 13 2021

Following the Maltese government’s decision to close English language schools after a spike in COVID-19 infections, the schools in question are set to lose between €35 and €40 million in revenue. This also spells uncertainty for the 12,000 students residing in Malta to learn English. Over a single weekend, schools saw a massive 15,000 cancellations worth a total of around €15 million, as reported by a spokesperson for the federation speaking to Times of Malta.

With 2000 jobs of teachers and support staff in danger of being lost, the federation is set to meet Prime Minister Robert Abela to find solutions about the urgent matter. The decision was called insane and illogical by chief executive of the European School of English Sean LeGault. He went on to state that the decision has potentially wiped out a sector that has been built over the past 40 years.

Owner and CEO of BELS English Language Schools Rebecca Bonnici also added how the sector has already ‘scraped the bottom of the barrel in order to secure [its] ability to operate this year, with nothing more left to scrape.’ She claimed that the decision will have an ‘unquantifiable effect on Malta’s reputation’.

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Photo Source: Katerina Holmes