Maltese abroad without a vaccine certificate can come back with a negative PCR test

Maltese citizens who are abroad, and have booked a return flight to Malta after 14 July, and are not in the possession of a vaccine certificate, can come back with a negative PCR test and without the need to quarantine.

The measure also applies to people who have a valid residency card.  

Last Friday, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced that anyone arriving on the island must produce a recognised vaccination certificate from either Malta, the UK or the European Union.

English language schools were also ordered to shut down from 14 July.

The decision came after a sharp increase in new COVID-19 cases was registered in the last week.

Unvaccinated travellers who spoke to MaltaToday said the new changes in regulations came after they had already booked flights to avoid being quarantined upon their arrival.

Prime Minister Robert Abela also hinted at the changes in regulation during his speech on Sunday morning, and stated that the ban on unvaccinated travellers would not apply to Maltese nationals who travelled abroad prior to the ban.

He said the legal notice would be setting out rules for the ban to have a transitory period for these travellers.

MaltaToday reached out to a Health Ministry spokesperson, who refused to confirm the change in regulations.

She instead said that a legal notice is being drawn up, and will be published on Monday.