LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The European Commission has asked the Maltese government to clarify the new travel regulations which are expected to come into force as from January, 17.
The Maltese health authorities decided that the COVID-19 certificate will be considered expired once three months from the second dose have passed or nine months from the booster dose. However, the European Commission declared that Malta will breach the European travel rules which came into force on December, 21 and which state that “member states must accept any vaccination certificate that has been issued less than nine months since the administration of the last dose of the primary vaccination”.
Meanwhile, the Malta International Airport criticized the health authorities’ decision and urged them to stop all plans to introduce the new plans. “Given that Malta is the only EU Member State which has shortened the validity period of COVID-19 vaccination certificates, the Superintendent of Public Health has imposed an unnecessary hurdle for Maltese residents to travel, together with undermining consumer confidence for the tourism industry during this already very challenging winter period.” The Malta International Airport added that the restrictions go against the spirit of the European Union to facilitate free movement across all European Member States.
Meanwhile, the local health authorities registered fewer positive cases of COVID-19 for the fifth consecutive days. However, three patients – 2 men aged 77 and 81, and a woman aged 81 – have died while receiving treatment for coronavirus at Mater Dei hospital. So far, the pandemic has claimed 492 lives. 126 patients are still in hospital, of whom nine are in intensive care.
During the last 24 hours, 432 new coronavirus were registered as 868 patients recovered from the virus. The number of active cases stands 13,614.
(ITALPRESS).
