Covid-19

General Information

UPDATED 10/07/2024

What is Coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are viruses which cause respiratory symptoms ranging from the common cold to more serious illnesses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). They are a family of viruses which are present both in humans and in animals.

They are spread from one person to another through:
- Coughing and sneezing (via droplets)
- Hands which have become contaminated with the virus after touching contaminated surfaces or
- Through direct contact with a person infected with the coronavirus (such as caring for a sick person)

Current situation
Following a period of very low activity, there is evidence of increased COVID-19 activity in some EU/EEA countries including Malta. Various mutations of the Omicron subvariants have been detected which may account for the increase in cases. This compounded with waning COVID-19 vaccine immunity over time and the increase in social events and crowd gatherings especially over the last 2 months, may account for the increase in COVID-19 cases in Malta.

What are the symptoms?
From the information known to date, the common symptoms are one or more of the below:
- Fever
- Headache
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny / blocked nose
- Tiredness
- Diarrhoea or vomiting
- Sneezing
- Muscle pain
- Shortness of breath

The most common symptoms include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Cough
- Sore throat

How severe is the infection?
It is generally mild, especially for children and young people, but may also result in requirement of medical care and hospitalisation. In some cases, the infection can cause severe pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome that can lead to death.

How is Covid-19 Coronavirus spread?
The COVID-19 infection is transmitted by people carrying the virus. The disease can be spread from person to person through respiratory droplets expelled from the nose or mouth when a person coughs or sneezes.
These droplets can persist for a few hours on objects or surfaces around the person in question. An infection with COVID-19 can occur if you touch these objects or surfaces and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. COVID-19 can also be contracted by inhaling droplets from a sick person who has just coughed or sneezed. Therefore, it is important to keep a distance of more than two metres from a sick person and to respect basic hygiene measures.

Prevention
As with other respiratory infections it is important to take steps to prevent further spread of infection. These include:
•    covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
•    discarding used tissues immediately and after washing hands
•    cleaning your hands frequently with soap and water 
•    regularly cleaning high contact surfaces (such as door-knobs, railings) as well as common areas such as kitchen and bathrooms 
•    avoiding crowds and closed areas with poor ventilation, keeping a safe distance from others
•    wearing a mask if you have respiratory symptoms, if you are at high risk of complications or if you are in crowded or poorly ventilated areas
•    Taking the recommended seasonal Influenza and COVID vaccines when these become available 
•    if you develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, self-isolate until you recover. Stay at home and avoid attending clinics and appointments to avoid infecting others.

Testing
Individuals may be tested for COVID-19 on admission to hospital, if required.  In this case, should someone result positive they will receive an email/SMS indicating a positive result.
Individuals within the community who would like to undergo a test because they suspect that they may be infected with COVID-19 can do so by buying a self-test from a pharmacy themselves or by visiting their family doctor.

Isolation and Return to Activities
It is advised that anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 or has symptoms of a respiratory virus, stays isolated and away from others. Normal activities can be resumed once symptoms improve and there is no fever for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications. It is recommended that one takes additional precautions such as wearing a well-fitting face mask, maintaining physical distance, improving ventilation, and frequent hand washing for 5 days after resuming normal activities.

There is no need to repeat the COVID-19 test in order to resume normal activities in the community once a person recovers. There is no defined period for isolation for COVID-19 cases as this depends on duration of symptoms. It is important that COVID-19 cases stay isolated at home if symptomatic and avoid attending clinics or hospital appointments in order to not expose others. If symptoms do not improve it is advised that cases call their health care provider for advice or call primary health care telemedicine service on 21231231.  If you have severe symptoms such as severe shortness of breath, call 112 immediately.

High-Risk Groups
Individuals at higher risk for severe illness, such as older adults (65+), young children, pregnant women, people with disabilities or chronic conditions, and those with compromised immune systems, should speak to their doctor promptly for testing and possible antiviral treatments, which can help prevent severe disease.

Vaccinations 
COVID-19 vaccination continues to be protective against severe disease. As its protective effect wanes over time, staying up to date with vaccinations remains crucial to protect individuals especially those in high-risk groups. Current advice is to combine the COVID-19 vaccine with influenza, thus significantly reducing the risk of severe illness and hospitalisation in those suffering from both of these infections.

Healthcare Settings
Staff who swab positive for COVID-19 should isolate and alert the infection control team of the entity to be guided accordingly. It is recommended that healthcare workers that test positive stay isolated for at least 5 days after symptoms onset. They should only return back to work after this time period, as long as 24 hours have passed from resolution of any fever and clinical improvement of other symptoms has taken place. As an added precaution it is advised that they take precautionary measures for the consecutive 5 days including enhanced hand hygiene and wearing of a surgical mask when in vicinity of patients and colleagues.