A total of 34 people have been fined for not wearing a mask or visor while inside a retail outlet since Malta made their usage mandatory by law last week.

“Over 250 investigations have taken place so far and unfortunately 34 people were fined,” Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci said on TVM last night. “It’s unfortunate because we want to reach a stage where people wear masks because they feel a responsibility to protect others.”

A legal notice published earlier this week following a surge in new COVID-19 cases states that people inside retail outlets, traveling on public transport and the Gozo ferry and within the airport terminal must wear a medical or cloth mask at all times.

Gauci confirmed the legal notice will be amended to include visors.

Anyone who falls foul of the law shall be liable to a €100 fine, which will be reduced to €50 if they admit to the offence and pay the fine before the case reaches court.

Meanwhile, five event organisers, bars and restaurants have been fined €3,000 for breaching the new social distancing restrictions on mass events, with TVM reporting that the majority of these were Paceville establishments.

Gauci said the authorities are constantly monitoring the situation to assess whether the restrictions are having the desired effect of reducing the spread of COVID-19.

“If they work, we will see a decline [in active cases]; if they don’t we will have to take action to control the situation,” she said.