Lifting of restrictive measures relating to COVID-19

Following the announcement made on 1 June 2020 by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Health and the Superintendent of Public Health, the removal of additional measures relating to COVID-19 have been announced. The lifting of the restrictive measures shall take effect as from 5 June and comprise of the following:

1. Legal Notice 228 of 2020:

This order lifts the suspension of all organised events including all cultural, recreational, entertainment, sporting and religious events and exhibitions in public or private places, including outdoor sports training in groups of more than six people. The organisation of contact sports shall however remain banned.

2. Legal Notice 229 of 2020:

This order provides for the re-opening of childcare centres and English language teaching schools as of 5 June 2020. The following schools shall remain closed until further notice: kindergarten centres, colleges, sixth forms/higher secondaries, the University of Malta, other tertiary educational institutions, further and higher educational institutions.

3. Legal Notice 230 of 2020:

This order provides for the re-opening of the Courts of Justice. The suspension of the time limits which has been in force prior to the coming into force of this repeal legal notice, for the filing of any acts before a court, following the conclusion of any proceedings before any court, tribunal, board, commission, committee or other entity shall remain into force (a) for 20 days from 5 June if such body is not operating from a building of the Courts of Justice, and (b) for 7 days from 5 June if such body is operating from the building of the Courts of Justice.

4. Legal Notice 231 of 2020 and 233 of 2020:

These orders repeal the limitation of persons gathered in groups in public places of more than 6 persons and further states that gathering of masses in public shall be limited to no more than 75 persons.

5. Legal Notice 232 of 2020:

This Legal Notice repeals the order for the closure of all places open to the public, closure of non-essential retail outlets and outlets providing non-essential services, orders which have been issued relating to the protection of vulnerable persons.

Notwithstanding the above-mentioned relaxation of measures, the Ministry for Health has also issued several mandatory conditions which are to be adhered to by the public once the measures will be lifted effective on 5 June 2020. These measures can be accessed through the Ministry for Health’s website here.