Malta’s nurses union takes aim at entertainment industry, calls for further restrictions amid rising cases

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) has called for bars to be closed, a day after the country saw the second-highest number of daily new cases.

In a statement, the union said that allowing the country to run with no effective COVID measures demonstrates that the Government is more interested in appeasing the entertainment industry than health professionals such as the nurses who are working under huge pressures.

"The Government failed to prevent Mater Dei Hospital from being overwhelmed with patients by allowing bars to remain open with no restraints such as curfews, as were imposed in other EU countries. This cannot be allowed to continue since MDH is at a breaking point," MUMN said.

The union pleaded with the public to avoid going to bars and clubs and to take all necessary precautions for their own safety. It also urged hospital authorities to postpone all elective surgery since nurses cannot keep up with the heavy workload.

It added that allowing tourists from high-risk countries such as the UK to come to Malta was proof that the Government refused to acknowledge the gravity of the situation.

MUMN also criticised the recently reinstated requirement to wear masks outdoors, saying it was purely a political measure with no grounding in science.

While the number of daily new cases has indeed spiked, the number of COVID-positive people requiring hospital treatment is significantly lower than this time last year, arguably indicating the success of Malta's vaccination program.