The Professional, Finance and Services Section within the General Workers’ Union, in the name of all nurses within the Emergency Department, praised the decision taken by the organisers and private enterprises to cancel all of their activities on their own volition, after a spike in positive Covid-19 cases were registered during the past few days. The Section also welcome the agreement that was agreed upon between the Government, and its Social Partners within the MCESD, in order to control this virus.
The GWU Section said that, while the restrictions on mass events as implemented by the Government reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission, they do not remove it completely. “This risk, however, multiplies itself in events and establishments that offer alcohol, and reduce the efficiency of these restrictions to negligible levels. And so, it’s necessary that there is an adequate level of surveillance and enforcement on these social distancing measures, as well as the use of masks in general.”
The Section explains how, in the eventuality that nurses get infected while they attend these mass events, this compromises not only the department of Emergecy in Malta, but also the health patients within said department. And therefore, the GWU hopes that the Health Authorities reconsider their decisions, and implement more measures, so that these workers are protected in their place of work, so that they remain in a position to help their patients.
After these recent developments, including a spike in positive Covid-19 cases, the GWU together with its members, publicly appeal to all that masks should be worn in all public places, as encouraged by the Superintendent of Public Health. This way, the risk of transmission is mitigated. “Everyone must act responsible, and cooperate, so that these cases do not increase for no reason, and the work undertaken by these nurses keeps on gong.”
In the ucpoming days, the Section Secretary Riccarda Darmanin, will engage in discussions with the Mater Dei Hospital Management, on the present situation with regards to the Emergency Department nurses, in order to continue fighting for a better working environment for its members.
