Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1276949
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 AUGUST 2020 10 NEWS Digital banking during COVID makes it harder for elderly MARIA BORG THE growing shift to online services by Maltese banks and branch closures are proving problematic for elderly clients who are unable to gravitate towards dig- ital banking. Experts who spoke to MaltaToday agreed that high, in-branch minimum withdrawals and the curtailment of the branch network, were widening the 'dig- ital divide' for pensioners during the COVID-19 pandemic. At most high street banks, the minimum withdrawal from bank cashiers currently stands at €500 and no deposits are being accepted unless through ATMs. In addi- tion to this, some banks are yet to open all their branches to their customers. Gerontologist Prof. Martin Formosa said the problems caused by these re- strictions have had a domino effect on the elderly. "Being forced to withdraw an amount higher than €500 could cause stress and anxiety to elderly people who do not normally keep such large amounts of money at home due to the fear of being robbed... you then add the mental health problems caused by isolation and anxiety, which in turn also cause physical health complaints such as high blood pressure and obesity." A 2018 survey on financial literacy in Malta revealed that 75.1% of those aged between 60-69 needed help with day to day financial decisions. The outbreak of COVID-19 meant that mental health problems have also been relegated to a lower priority, Prof. For- mosa said. Philip Chircop, founder of NannietMal- ta, an association that deals with elderly rights, expressed his concern at the diffi- culties which elderly customers who do not know how to use an ATM are facing. The spillover of customers caused by branch closures have led to longer queues, with elderly customers being kept wait- ing outside in the sun for hours with no shade. "This shows disrespect for those who worked so hard for our country and economy in their youth," Chircop said, suggesting that a better option is for vul- nerable groups to be allowed to sit inside branches in small groups, while wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. "While for most, ATMs and online banking are a great way to stay on top of one's finances, they are unusable by those who can't read or write. One way to help with this is to station an employee outside to help ATM users in cases of difficulty," Chircop suggested. The restrictions were also depriving el- derly customers of the social dimension of banking. Pensioners who would reg- ularly visit banks to withdraw money, would see familiar faces and socialise. Such small outings would also serve as physical exercise. Ministry mum on COVID-19 swab backlog EDWARD BEZZINA COVID-19 swabbing centres have been swamped but the health ministry is mum on the backlog of people waiting to get tested. Ever since a recent spike in coro- navirus cases, people have report- ed at least a 10-day waiting time to get swabbed. The health authorities have said that two new swabbing centres will be set up this week, however questions sent to the ministry on the backlog of test requests re- mained unanswered. MaltaToday sought informa- tion on the waiting list for swab- bing appointments, the amount of daily calls received on the COV- ID helpine, 111 and whether the government was considering new testing kits that give results in 90 minutes. None of the questions were an- swered by the time of going to print. Malta has experienced a surge in coronavirus cases that has prompted the authorities to make the wearing of face masks obliga- tory in shops, on public transport and the Gozo ferry. Failure to ad- here to the law will result in a €50 fine. Furthermore, new restrictive rules on mass gatherings were in- troduced, limiting the maximum number of people to 100 in closed venues and 300 in outside areas. Two new COVID-19 testing cen- tres will be set up in Qormi and Burmarrad, Health Minister Chris Fearne said yesterday. The two centres will bolster local virus testing capacity and allow authorities to carry out more swab tests on a daily basis, following a surge in demand for testing in re- cent weeks. Malta currently has COVID-19 testing centres in Luqa, Pembroke, Mater Dei Hospital and Gozo. To- gether, those centres can carry out up to around 2,000 tests a day, and Fearne has said he would like to see that rate increase to 2,500. Testing backlog could have led to more cases Malta's testing rate per capita is among the highest in the world, but a surge in demand for tests late in July led to significant delays in testing times, with some people reporting that they had been giv- en testing appointments up to 10 days after they first called the 111 COVID-19 helpline. Fearne said that backlog could be in part to blame for the resurgence in coronavirus case numbers, as potentially infected people went about their lives for longer before being tested. MATTHEW VELLA THE organisers behind mass events that were slated to attract mass tourism to Malta, will be paid compensation for their marketing costs. The parties were forced to be cancelled in the wake of an increase in COVID-19 cases in late July, most of which can be traced back to a Radisson hotel party and the Santa Venera feast. Events organised by party organisers G7 were stopped as pressure mounted against mass events, after a significant cluster were attributed to a weekend-long party organised by G7 at the Radisson in St Julian's. But the organisers of several of these par- ties – with four major events aimed at the UK market throughout the summers – have now lined up for compensation from the tourism ministry. Four music festivals were planned over the next months despite social distancing meas- ures in place in most establishments. With fantastic line-ups that included British acts like Chase and Status, Aitch, AJ Tracey and Fatboy Slim, the festivals were targeting young British tourists thanks to the UK gov- ernment's green light travel list. Rhythm + Waves, Escape 2 the Island, the BPM Festival and Mi Casa were all being advertised online. Another festival on the island, Back to the Fu- ture, was cancelled due to low ticket sales. While no "sponsorship" was paid out by the Malta Tourism Authority for these events, the tourism ministry confirmed with MaltaToday that the organisers were in the process of pre- senting it with receipts of their "investment in the promotion of Malta". No compensation has been yet paid out, the ministry told this newspaper. "These activities are built on a marketing concept which organisers have to carry out well before these events, to attract thousands of tourists to Malta… "The government's healthcare priority was to cancel these events which were expected to leave €25 million in the country's economy," the ministry said. "However, the MTA is informed that a con- siderable number of these tourists who were planning a Malta holiday will still be flying to the island, even though these events have been cancelled." The rise in COVID-19 cases led to a backlash from doctors' unions and associations, with industrial action launched in a bid to force the government's hand and stop mass events. Last week MaltaToday reported that four venues catering to mass events, two of them in Paceville, were shut down on Friday, as au- thorities enforced new regulations introduced this week in a bid to curtail a new spike in the number of COVID-19 cases. The venues were forced to shut down af- ter health authorities traced a tourist who has tested positive to coronavirus to the four establishments. The inspectors ordered the venues to carry out a full sanitation exercise and to provide detailed certification from the company carrying out the sanitation. Venues that can accommodate more than 100 people will have to carry out a risk assessment prior to going ahead with the event. The company running the festivals told the BBC last week that Malta's residents were happy to welcome British people. "Tourism plays a very important role in our economy," said Nicky Spiteri, who runs 365 Entertain- ment. "Hotels, restaurants, taxi drivers and clubs are welcoming these festivals – it can save their season." Party organisers to get marketing refunds for cancelled events