Charmaine Gauci Exempts Malta Football Team From Quarantine Upon Return From ‘Dark Red’ Russia
Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci has granted Malta’s national football team an exemption from quarantine upon their return to the country following their recent away game against Russia.
“The Malta Football Association follows UEFA’s Return to Play protocols, which oblige national football teams to take a number of measures to ensure their contingent is protected within a bubble,” a spokesperson for the MFA told Newsbook, confirming that the health authorities granted the team special exemption from national quarantine rules.
Russia is classified by the health authorities as ‘dark red’, meaning anyone who travels to Malta from that country must spend two weeks in isolation at an officially recognised quarantine hotel.
This includes Maltese residents, who must fork out €1,400 to stay at a hotel even if they can quarantine at home.
In contrast, travellers from countries in the red zone must fill out a passenger locator form and present a vaccination certificate recognised by the Maltese authorities or, in the case of children aged 5-11, a negative PCR test.
Travellers older than 12 not in possession of a vaccine certificate must present a negative PCR test and undergo 14 days of quarantine which they can spend at a quarantine facility or an alternative address, if authorised by the Superintendent of Public Health.
Prime Minister Robert Abela and Health Minister Chris Fearne have refused to explain the logic behind this rule when questioned by Lovin Malta at recent press conferences, with Abela insisting it’s a health issue and Fearne simply denying that the rule was introduced to appease the owners of the two quarantine hotels.
Cover photo right: Credit – MFA
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