Allowing any tourism this summer could cost lives, nurses' union warns

The nurses' union has appealed against the opening of any form of tourism this summer, as the government prepares to announce the further easing of COVID-19 restrictions.  In a statement, the Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives (MUMN) said opening a tourist season would be "purely a political measure from an economic perspective which can have huge repercussions on the lives of all those living on the Maltese islands". The union said the move would be a "blunder" that could "break" the healthcare system and cost several lives. "A few thousand of tourists who can arrive to Malta this summer would not resolve the ailing economy but will just act as a catalyst for the second wave of Coronavirus epidemic to occur on our islands," the MUMN said. The warning came ahead of the expected announcement on Monday of the lifting of more of the restrictions put in place to slow the outbreak, and as tourism minister Julia Farrugia Portelli assured hotels and restaurants that there would be some form of tourism this summer.  The government is said to be considering ‘safe corridors’ for travel between Malta and nine countries at a similar stage of the battle against the virus.   The MUMN said the...