Redefining borders in a pandemic : a study of the impact of COVID-19 measures on the Maltese economy and society

Abstract

In March 2020, government officials announced the closure of Malta’s airports and seaports as a measure to prevent further cases of imported COVID-19 into Malta. Shortly thereafter, additional measures were implemented that included lockdowns and consequent closure of hotels and restaurants followed by schools and universities, and restrictions on intermingling including with family members outside one’s immediate family. All measures were aimed at protecting the health system from total collapse and avoiding numerous deaths as had happened in neighbouring Italy. The images of long lines of military heavy vehicles carrying the dead – viticms of COVID-19 – to their graves was a stark warning that governments, including the Maltese, took note of and heeded. The measures implemented as a response to the outbreak of COVID-19 albeit successful in saving thousands of lives, have come at a great cost to the Maltese economy and society in general. Within the economic sphere, prosperity was replaced with austerity, in some industries overnight. Tourism ground to a halt and remained frozen at peak season. Knock-on effects were widespread and affected transportation, catering, hoteliers, retail outlets, and agricultural producers, among others. Manufacturing and trade too suffered significant contractions. Overall, businesses were required to adapt their models, some years in the making, to an unexpected new reality that was quite different to the previous. That ability to adapt for many meant the difference between bankruptcy and survival. The consequences of the COVID-19 measures and the consequence of the same on local businesses had further consequences. Among society, there have been three broad shifts in perspective as a result that have brought to the fore subjects that although present in the collective consciousness, were not necessarily as frequently discussed pre-COVID- 19. The first is an increased awareness on the importance of clean and sustainable environment practices. The second, recognition of the importance of a work-life balance as a substantial portion of the workforce was out of necessity pushed towards remote working. Thirdly, an increased awareness in mental health and more significantly, an increase in individuals seeking help for mental problems. The changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have been far reaching and life changing. This dissertation examines the manner in which such changes have impacted and redefined Malta’s borders and consequently impacted Maltese society with a particular focus on the economic sector analysed from the perspective of operators across a number of key economic sectors. The primary research method employed is elite interviews supported by public data and statistics.