Malta’s restaurants & bars may follow event rules should they restrict entry to vaccinated customers

Malta’s Restaurants and bars may follow event rules should they restrict entrance to fully vaccinated persons only.

Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne confirmed this at a press conference on Thursday afternoon when responding to questions from the press. He was announcing protocols surrounding standing events which will commence on 6th September, as well as changes to protocols for seated events, among other measures.

“Restaurant entry isn’t limited to vaccinated people but to non-vaccinated people too. Restaurants and other establishments who want to restrict entry to vaccinated people can follow the protocols for events, following a risk assessment with the MTA.”

“The difference is between events for vaccinated people and others for people who aren’t vaccinated too.”

Currently, restaurants and bars must keep a distance of two metres between tables, a move widely decried as hampering eateries’ ability for their day-to-day operations to be profitable.

As of 13th September, seated events with a maximum of 100 vaccinated persons will be permitted to keep a one-metre distance between tables.

Seated events must also submit an identified organiser to the health authorities, take down details of guests, submit a risk assessment through a Malta Tourism Authority template, take people’s temperature on entry and provide hand sanitiser at the entrance (already mandatory to enter all commercial establishments).

Should restaurants or bars limit entry to vaccinated customers, however, calculated to be at 90 per cent of eligible adults in the country according to Minister Fearne, it is understood they too would be allowed to reduce the distance between tables should they fulfil all the necessary criteria set up for events.