Masks should still be worn in public despite Malta moving out of a public health emergency, Prime Minister Robert Abela has said.

“It’s important to note that the rules on masks and social distancing were always guidelines and it’s good that we keep on following them,” Abela said when interviewed by a panel of journalists on ONE. “Speaking for myself, I found it hard to adapt to wearing a masks at first but it has now become part of my daily routine.”

“There won’t be a legal obligation to wear them and there never was, but it’s good that we keep observing the guidelines as we monitor the situation [until] the time comes to retract these guidelines.”

“You can choose to obey the guidelines or not, but my recommendation is to keep obeying them because they makes sense.”

Malta has formally been in a public health emergency since 7th March in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with restrictions being loosened and new cases in the single digits for weeks, Abela formally announced today that the country will move out of a public health emergency and rescind all remaining legal notices which imposed restrictions due to the pandemic.

This means that the 75-person limit on public gathering will be completely scrapped, while the airport will reopen to several European countries as of 1st July.