Persons entering Malta from any country must spend 14 days in mandatory quarantine, which 14 days start immediately on their arrival and end on the consecutive day following the 14 days. This is enforceable by law. Failures to observe this obligation will result in fines of €3,000.

 

Public health authorities follow contact tracing procedures to identify and contact all possible close contacts. A risk assessment is done for each contact according to type and duration of contact; each case is different.

With the lifting of certain restrictive public health measures instituted as part of the COVID19 Public Health Response, the Public Health Authorities are advising on the benefits of wearing a face mask or visor by individuals who are not ill, when entering closed spaces. Customers and staff in retail outlets and on public transport are required to wear a mask or a visor. Visors can be worn alone or together with a mask. Persons visiting banks are advised to wear a visor, since masks are not be permitted for security reasons. It is the responsibility of employers to provide appropriate masks or visors for their workers. The use of face masks helps reduce the spread of infection in the community by limiting the spread of infection from infected individuals who may not know they are infected, who have not yet developed symptoms or who remain asymptomatic. The wearing of masks will therefore enhance the effects of physical distancing. It is important to note that face covers are not meant to be a replacement for physical distancing; observing cough and sneeze etiquette; maintaining meticulous hand hygiene and avoiding touching one’s face.

 

People receiving packages from affected areas are not at risk of contracting the novel coronavirus. From previous analysis, we know coronaviruses do not survive long on objects such as letters or packages.

 

No, COVID-19 and Influenza are two different viruses, and thus the influenza vaccine would not protect you from the coronavirus.

 

Social distancing, also called physical distancing, refers to actions taken to stop or slow down the spread of a contagious disease. For an individual, it refers to maintaining enough physical distance (a minimum of two metres) between yourself and another person to reduce the risk of breathing in droplets that are produced when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. It is possible to safely maintain social connections while social distancing, through phone calls, video chats and social media platforms

Those found to be in a group of more than four (until 21-May-2020) or more than six (from 22-May-2020) and are not members of the same household shall be liable to a €100 fine.