Promoting civic responsibility to protect the vulnerable while keeping the economy open

The Malta College of Family Doctors is a voluntary organisation that strives to improve the academic and clinical performance of family doctors (known as it-tobba talfamilja or general practitioners) and the standards of primary health care in our country.

The MCFD applauds how the vast majority of citizens are with selfdiscipline and personal sacrifice following the instructions and recommendations of the medical community spearheaded by the

Superintendence of Public Health to control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

The MCFD also applauds how the vast majority of business enterprises are with due diligence and care providing citizens with opportunities for recreation and entertainment with regard for the aforementioned recommendations while ensuring that our economy opens up.

On the other hand, the MCFD is dismayed that a small number of entities are organising and carrying out mass events where the recommendations to decrease the spread of COVID-19 virus are not or cannot be upheld. It is well known that a number of these have resulted in the recent spike of active cases.

This is a slap on the face to all well-meaning citizens and especially the frontliners. The MCFD calls on those national authorities that give the permits for such activities, to be themselves responsible, together with the organisers, to make sure that the recommendations are upheld.

MCFD members report that many of the cases are among youth. MCFD calls on the national authorities to embark on an educational campaign to instruct young people on why respect for the recommendations of the medical community is needed to protect the vulnerable and on how they can continue to safely enjoy themselves in their leisure time. Role models for young people can be enrolled in the initiative to bring the message across more effectively.

Finally, MCFD urges public figures, including national representatives, to lead by example in promoting civic responsibility to protect the vulnerable by respecting the recommendations of the medical community in social distancing and the use of masks in own individual events and collectively to bring across a coherent unified national message that ensures the wellbeing of our society.