It’s been a hell of a week for the Maltese islands, with reported Coronavirus cases hitting a tally of twelve today. Announced yesterday, temporary school closures have been widely welcomed (despite parents being faced with a fresh dilemma of who to leave kids with during work hours). Two mothers, Josette Frendo and Lorinda Mamo took to social media to share their thoughts in light of recent updates.
Josette, mother to the late Jerome who passed away from cancer, took to Facebook to bring awareness: “Did it ever occur to you that parents whose children are seriously ill or have a terminal condition have been feeling this way ever since they found out about their children’s condition? Not knowing what lies ahead in their children’s future. Scare that every time their children are admitted to hospital, they would be unable to predict the outcome – will they come out cured or in a coffin?” she wrote.
Josette continues: “Wishing that this is a nightmare and that everything will return to normal when they wake up. Concerned for their children because their mind flits down the same path everytime its signalled. Let’s appreciate our families. By the grace of God, this horrible time too will pass. For now, let’s obey the directives issued and continue to pray,” she concluded.
Lorinda Mamo, whose son Henry suffers from respiratory ailments, also took to Instagram stories prior to yesterday’s school closure announcement to emphasise the horrors families in similar situations are faced with in circumstances such as these: “In winter 2018 beginning 2019, that year I had to keep Henry home for three or four months, he couldn’t go to school, he couldn’t go out, and that was because of a simple cold,” she said, adding that being in the hospital and taking antibiotics was no joke.
“We’ve really had to jump hoops to get him to the place that he is now and as well as possible and it’s a struggle everyday,” Lorinda said. The concerned mother highlights the importance of adhering to restrictive measures as best as possible: “It’s already a struggle then this crops up and people still send their kids to school. I’m not going to take that risk,” she said.
Thankfully, the situation has been grabbed by its horns with all schools suspended until further notice is issued in a week's time. Both women urged the public to respect directives issued: despite most of the population being minimally affected, not everyone’s immune system can take it.