Coronavirus: Covid Safepass comes into force on Monday

As of Monday, May 10, people will have to display a so-called Safepass to be allowed entrance in certain venues and facilities, in line with government measures to stop the spread of Covid-19, the health ministry said.

As a Safepass, people can display one of three documents: a certificate of vaccination with at least one dose, provided it has been three weeks since it was administered, proof they had the virus in the pas six months, or the result of a test taken in the past 72 hours.

The ministry said people can use the card given at vaccination centres where they received their jab. As proof of having the virus, people can show the release text message sent by the ministry to their phone.

The third option is to display a negative PCR or rapid antigen test done in the past 72 hours.

If the test was done on Sunday at 10am, for example, it will be valid until 10am on Wednesday. The printed result or the text message sent by testing units are both acceptable.

Antibody and self-tests will not be accepted.

Safepasses will be needed for entry into hospitality venues, places of religious worship, outdoor and indoor theatres, cinemas, and performing arts venues, malls and department stores, weddings, funerals, and christenings, gyms, dance and other schools, care homes and other similar facilities, hotels, election gatherings in theatres, amphitheatres, hospitality venues, and homes, conferences and trade shows, and casinos.

A Safepass is not needed to enter hairdressing salons, beauticians, banks, supermarkets, bakeries, butchers, fish shops, fruit markets, convenience stores, pharmacies, municipal markets, public and private services, betting shops, beaches, outdoor picnic areas, reservoirs, and zoos.

Only police officers or authorised state officials can check whether individuals have a valid Safepass.

Business owners or managers are not responsible for Safepasses and people are not obliged to present one to unauthorised persons.

The ministry clarified that a positive Covid case is someone diagnosed through PCR or antigen tests conducted by authorises laboratories.

The case must have been declared to the health ministry’s epidemiological unit within a reasonable time from the day the result was received.

Cases reported to the unit are contact traced and released based on protocol either by a GP, or the unit if there is no GP.

People registered by the unit as cases in the last six months will receive a release text message by Sunday, irrespective if they have already received one.

The text will state how long it would be valid for and can be presented when necessary. Text messages to minors and elderly people who do not have mobile phones will be sent to the parents or guardians or the representative who is the system.

People who tested positive and have since been released but have not received a text message would have to fill in a form and send it to [email protected] as soon as possible.

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