A new set of measures will be introduced to facilitate people visiting their elderly relatives at care homes.

In light of the surge of COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks, visits to elderly homes over the weekend have been prohibited. The new measures will be enforced starting Monday 10th August.

As part of the new measures, those with relatives at St. Vincent De Paul will be allowed to visit between 9.30am and 11am as well as between 5pm and 7pm. 

Visitors are also being advised to plan their visit two days in advance and coordinate with the home to ensure that a visiting slot has been booked. As such, visits are limited to 15 minutes with a maximum of four people per visit. A shuttle service will transport visitors to a “visiting station” where they can meet their elderly relatives.

In order to help curb the spread of COVID-19, visitors will have to stay behind perspex and wear facemasks or visors throughout the entire duration of their visit.

One parking space will be provided per visit and IDs are required upon arriving as part of a contacting tracing mechanism.

Visitors are also allowed to bring medicine for their elderly relatives, with authorities advising to bring two months’ worth. Non-refrigerated items such as fruit are permissible too.

The same measures also apply for government, church and private homes hosting the elderly. 

Earlier this week, an 84-year-old care home resident tested positive for COVID-19 upon admission to Mater Dei hospital. According to the Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci, the patient is in poor condition.

Malta also registered 49 new cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total number of active cases to 311.

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