The Malta Chamber of Commerce has called on the public to refrain from succumbing to hearsay and rumours which are “irresponsibly bandied about on social media”.

The statement follows claims by the Malta Union of Teachers which called out a situation where panicked parents are rushing from work to take their children outside of school after hearing speculation about COVID outbreaks.

On the issue, The Malta Chamber said:

“Members of the public are encouraged to stick to official channels of information for their news and updates, as often relying on unofficial sources leads to confusion which is not beneficial to anyone in the equation.

“Cycles of infection and recovery, which will undoubtedly be experienced in schools, in the same way as anywhere else in society, are to be managed with the appropriately designed protocols. This is the new reality.”

The Malta Chamber maintained its full and unequivocal trust in the country’s public health authorities and urged everyone to allow them to perform their jobs unhindered, and in everyone’s interest.

It commended the efforts by students, teachers, parents and all involved for the gradual reopening since 7th October, noting that the reopening has been generally orderly given the extraordinary situation the world finds itself in.