Coordination is key

The new year was met with optimism as the roll out of the vaccines against Covid-19 that marked last year, fuelled great expectations across populations

Variants of the virus unfortunately, re-escalated the situation, with numbers of new cases and deaths increasing in several countries. Death and contagion understandably bring sorrow and fear. Our best tool against them is the vaccine, which is able to boost not simply the immunisation of the public, but our collective confidence and morale.

At a European level, vaccination efforts must be accelerated. This is the message we as a country are consistently resounding together with other Member States.

It is true there were logistical issues nobody could be prepared for. It is also a fact there were instances where vaccine manufacturing firms may have fallen short of delivering on the commitments made.

Our responsibility toward the health of our nations means we have no other way but to overcome these obstacles together. This is the hour European member states have to come together and coordinate efforts making sure the supply of the vaccines is available, distributed quickly and simultaneously across all regions of Europe.

It is encouraging to note that there is strong support in favour of vaccination in the Maltese population. It also makes us proud that our country is leading in the rate of vaccination per capita.

Coordination could not and should not stop at distributing the vaccine. Though for those who were robbed of loved ones, their health or any form of social life by the virus, it may already feel like a worst case scenario, a return to states unilaterally closing their borders, could be catastrophic. There are risks to border closures, but uncoordinated decisions are even riskier.

EU Leaders crucially ascertained that Europe’s internal borders will not be closed. This is not an absolute decision however. A continued escalation to the situation may take governments back to the drawing board. What is necessary, however, is that any decision in this regard will be made together.

The European leaders’ summit, earlier this week, discussed Malta’s proposal to certify passengers that have been vaccinated, as communicated by Prime Minister Abela in a letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. This will inject a new breath of trust in cross border travel, central to the European way of life. For many states, including ours, connectivity means access to the outside world. It is also the basis of our tourism industry - an essential pillar to our economy and an important source of employment.

It is not surprising that states like Greece and Portugal, currently holding the Presidency of the Council, are strongly supporting Malta’s proposal. They both fully grasp the need to sustain travel by air and sea by ensuring passengers’ protection.

At an EU level, we made important progress already agreeing to start devising a standardised and inter-operable form of proof of vaccination for medical purposes. The next step is to extend this proof for traveling purposes.

Making sure everyone has access to the vaccine, first the most physically vulnerable amongst us, and everyone else in quick succession, remains imperative. Ensuring universal protection and immunisation will defeat the pandemic stopping it from dictating developments for a second year.

Coordinating efforts, politically and logistically, helps us treat a public health crisis, preventing it from spilling over to further social and economic difficulties a functioning internal market can solve.