Controlled mass events can now hold more than 100 people provided that separate areas of the venue are used, under revised guidelines published this week.
The government had announced that controlled events will be allowed to take place as from Monday 5 July, but attendance would initially be capped at 100 people.
The revised guidelines, however, introduce the concept of bubbles, which means that up to 100 people will be allowed in each distinct area of the same venue. This is provided that each area has a separate entry and exit and dedicated staff, and that no mixing is allowed with staff and attendees from other sections.
The guidelines set out all the rules that need to be followed when holding such events, which must be seated, and also instruct the organisers on how to handle attendees.
These standards are only applicable for small organised controlled events, namely: Cultural, artistic, dance, theatre and music performances; Corporate events such as conferences, awards nights and AGMs; and sports events.
As from Monday, up to a hundred people can attend these events, but the limit will go up to 150 on 19 July and up to 200 on 2 August.
Every event shall have an identified named organiser who shall be responsible, and approval from the Malta Tourism Authority is required. A risk assessment needs to be submitted at least ten days prior to the event.
All events are subject to inspection by authorised officers.
Events shall strictly be with prior booking/reservation/tickets/registration. Any invitation should request confirmation of attendance prior to event.
No sale of tickets is allowed at the door.
Admittance shall be exclusively on presentation of a valid vaccination certificate, which have to be authenticated by the organisers.
All venue staff, performers and technical crew also need to have a valid vaccination certificate.
Organisers can turn away patrons who look unwell. Staff and attendees shall be subject to temperature checks at entrance for the presence of fever and those with a temperature of 37.2 o C or higher shall be denied entrance.
Attendees need to use the hand sanitizers provided at the entrances.
The number of attendees is limited to one person per every four square metres.
The organisers must ensure that there are no onlooking spectator areas where people can gather.
Events cannot be organised in residential property including leased residential property.
Entrance into and exit from the premises shall be regulated with staggered entry and exit times, adopting appropriate crowd management techniques as necessary, to ensure minimum gatherings of people outside the enclosed venue.
There shall only be seated events, without breaks or intermission, and no dancing or mingling of patrons shall be allowed.
Masks are to be worn at all times and can only be removed when eating or drinking. No smoking will be allowed in the event areas.
Food can only be served to seated patrons, and no buffet or stand-up bar services will be allowed.
Staff and patrons are to wear masks and/or visors at all times while on the premises.
Audiences shall be seated in such a way that each seated group maintains social distancing of at least two metres from other seated groups and except in the case of persons from the same household. In such case no more than six persons shall be allowed to sit together in a group.
For seating around a table, no more than six persons can be seated except for persons from the same households. A minimum two-meter distance shall be kept between performers and patrons.
People must remain seated except for when entering/exiting the premises and to go to the restrooms.
Organisers must have security personnel to ensure that attendees remain seated and to manage any problems that may arise.
Ongoing cleaning and disinfection operations of all the common areas inside the premises shall be carried out.
Contact information of attendees (of at least one person per group) needs to be kept for up to 28 days after the event.