Studies ongoing about fourth COVID-19 booster dose

Feb 15 2022

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is currently undergoing research into a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose due to the fact that the effect of the third dose is starting to diminish.

Speaking on this morning’s TVAM programme, Director of WHO’s regional office in Europe, Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, said that the organisation is working hand in hand with pharmaceutical companies on the development of a best quality vaccine.

She said that it has yet to establish the number of variants the fourth dose will cover, when it should be administered, who will be the first to be inoculated and if it will be available to everyone.

Dr Azzopardi Muscat also said that a study is underway on the situation in countries where vaccination started with the fourth dose, such as Israel. She also revealed that talks are underway for the entry into force of different systems of testing for COVID-19.

Superintendent for Public Health Charmaine Gauci recently also spoke to TVMnews, revealing that there are preparations in case the fourth dose is required.

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Calls for Malta to decriminalise abortion by Council of Europe

Feb 15 2022

Malta is being called upon by the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights to decriminalise abortion. The call reiterates one made by her predecessor who in 2018 called for new legislation to provide abortion care to women who request it. Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic strongly urged the authorities to repeal provisions criminalising abortion in a report published on Tuesday.

This follows a trip she made to Malta last October, going on to urge the development of comprehensive regulation of women’ access to legal and safe abortion as well as to improve the availability of sexual and reproductive health services. She noted that despite there being a list of pharmacies stocking emergency contraception, women in Malta are often left without access to the necessary medication.

Reports all show that numerous pharmacies refuse to dispense such contraceptives on grounds of conscience. There are no measures in place to enforce the obligation of pharmacists referring patients to other professionals. This follows former commissioner Nils Muiznieks saying in 2018 that Malta should ensure its ban on abortion does not deprive women of a range of fundamental human rights.

In may 2021, independent MP Marlene Farrugia tabled draft legislation to decriminalise abortion. However, the bill was not discussed in parliament. The commissioner expressed disappointment at learning that despite this bill, authorities did not have a timeline for decriminalising abortion.

“The authorities did not consider it likely that such a bill could be adopted in the near future, although they admitted that the prohibition of abortion did not stop women, including girls, from seeking abortions.

“The commissioner was disturbed, furthermore, by the authorities’ apparent lack of concern about the serious risks incurred by women who seek or undergo abortions in unauthorised circumstances, which are aggravated by the lack of access to post-abortion care in Malta, both in the public and private health sectors.”The government, in reaction to the observations, said it was working to improve reproductive health services. Malta did not however agree with the interpretation that the right to sexual and reproductive health services includes an intrinsic right to abortion.

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Prime Minister denies drone accusations by Bernard Grech

Feb 15 2022

Prime Minister Robert Abela has addressed the claim made by Opposition Leader Bernard Grech that a drone was flown over his home, categorically denying it.

The Prime Minister told journalists that he condemned the incident if it happened and said that he had no knowledge about the incident. Grech, who has filed a complaint to the police commissioner about the incident, took to Facebook to make the accusation.

In the post, Grech accused Abela of ordering Labour media to fly a drone over his Mosta home to film it. He confirmed that he informed Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa about it and said police are investigating the matter.

Grech believed ONE News were sent to film as part of a scheme to sway attention away from questions about property deals the Prime Minister took as a lawyer. A ONE News journalist at the news conference also repeatedly denied that the media organisation was at the PN leader’ house.

The Prime Minister said that he absolutely denies any involvement. ‘I did not even know about it. If it happened, not only do I condemn it, but I believe that family life should not mix with the political roles we have. Respect for family privacy should be absolute.’

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Canada truckers in Freedom Convoy protest could have bank accounts frozen

Feb 15 2022

The Canadian government has warned that it will be freezing the bank accounts and suspend the vehicle insurance of truckers who continue to form blockades in protest of the vaccine mandates. The country has declared a national emergency to quell the resulting gridlock, with Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland saying that this is about stopping the financing of these illegal blockades.

‘We are today serving notice that if your truck is being used in these illegal blockades, your corporate accounts will be frozen. The insurance on your vehicle will be suspended’ she said. ‘Send your semi-trailers home. The Canadian economy needs them to be doing legitimate work, not to be illegally making us all poorer’ said Freeland.

Trudeau’s administration is authorising banks to freeze or suspend accounts suspected of being involved in illegal activity without the need for court order. The Prime Minister himself announced that he would be enacting Canada’s far-reaching Emergencies Act for the first time in the country’s history. This is his latest effort to combat the anti-vaccine mandate ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests which started in Ottawa on January 28th. Truckers have been blocking city streets and critical bridges, disrupting Canada’s trade routes and supply chain for weeks.

The Emergencies Act empowers the Canadian government to temporarily override civil rights, restrict travel, forbid public assembly and force businesses to act without compensation. Trudeau said that the scope of these measures will be time-limited, geographical targeted and reasonable and proportionate to the threats they are meant to address. He added that he does not plan to deploy the military.

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