Monkeypox vaccines officially arrive in Malta: primary contacts offered free jab

Aug 17 2022

Health Minister Chris Fearne has revealed that the first batch of monkeypox vaccines have arrived in Malta and are set to be offered for free for primary contacts of confirmed cases.

This was revealed in a tweet on Tuesday, wherein Fearne said that the vaccines were obtained as part of the EU Joint Procurement Mechanism.

First doses of Monkeypox #vaccine in #Malta – as part of EU Joint Procurement Mechanism. Will be offered to primary contacts of confirmed #Monkeypox cases free of charge.

— Chris Fearne (@chrisfearne) August 16, 2022

The first monkeypox case in Malta was registered on the 28th of May 2022, with the total number of cases currently standing at 30. This statistic comes from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

A public health emergency over the monkeypox outbreak was announced last month by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, swollen glands, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and a rash that breaks out within one to three days.

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46,000 people cross Malta-Gozo channel to celebrate Santa Marija

Aug 17 2022

Speaking to TVM News, Gozo Channel Chairman Joe Cordina revealed that 46,000 passengers crossed the Malta to Gozo channel between Thursday and Monday for Santa Marija celebrations.

This is an increase of approximately 11,000 passengers from last year, which is a satisfactory number for the industry.

However, the numbers have yet to reach the record number of 2019, which saw 50,000 people going to Gozo to celebrate the beloved Maltese feast. The day when Santa Marija is celebrated has a big effect on whether people cross the channel, stated Cordina.

Chief Executive Officer of the Gozo Tourism Association Joe Muscat revealed that fewer Maltese visited Gozo over the Santa Marija weekend, but an increase in foreign tourists was recording this time around.

Tourist accommodation in Gozo has been positive, he said, as the island is currently in the peak summer holiday season. Due to the pandemic, Gozo broke all records in people visiting as they could not go abroad.

However, as the restrictions eased, people opted to travel abroad. But this also meant that foreign tourists took to the island in larger numbers, in a reversal of the previous pandemic years.

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Today will be the hottest day in August as temperatures to feel like 45°C

Aug 17 2022

According to weather forecasters, today, Wednesday 17th August, is set to be the hottest day in the month of 2022 as temperatures jump up drastically before a cold bout next week.

According to Facebook weather page ‘It-Temp Madwarna’, temperatures are expected to shoot up to 38°C, but due to humid air and wind, the heat stress index is set to feel like a whopping 45°C!

This is an intensely high level of heat, with the weather portal urging everyone to avoid any work which involves physical strain and to stay hydrated as much as possible.

The night time is not set to bring any respite, the weather portal reported, saying that the minimal temperature will not go lower than 28°C. But again, the heat stress index will make it feel like around 32°C.

This comes before the wind is expected to change direction on Friday, bringing in cooler, but stronger, gusts to end the week. Cold temperatures are expected to give us respite throughout the weekend, but we’ll have to power through this one first!

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TikToker finds heatwave hack using pads to stop shirt sweat patches

Aug 17 2022

This one might bode well for the Maltese as they are battered by the summer heat. A TikToker by the name of Hannah Dodd has found a hack to stop sweat patches under one’s arm pits showing through your shirts.

The Cheshire based TikTok user tried to come up with a way of stopping the sweat caused by the summer heat and even stop having to throw away clothes due to staining.

Dodd’s search for a solution ended in her buying a box of panty liners. Speaking to NeedToKnow, she said she accidentally bought small panty liners but quickly incorporated them into her life.

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She went on to use the products to line the inside of her t-shirts, explaining to her followers how to do this. ‘Panty liners absorb the sweat and because of their anti-odour properties, they’re perfect for a heatwave.

“And for those of you saying ‘ew panty liners. That’s disgusting’ – Stigmatising periods is disgusting.”

She went on to say that this is actually an age old housewives trick but ‘due to the stigma surrounding periods people tend not to share it.’

“Some people have asked if I’m worried about them falling out, but it’s a panty liner – not a concealed weapon.”

#MaltaDaily